Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Pseudo Ferocity ❯ Thantastic! ( Chapter 12 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z or any of the character appearing in the manga or television show. Nor am I making any profit off of this story.

 

Author's Notes: Ahh, another long wait. Sorry guys! But I do have my reasons; those of you who know me better undoubtedly know how busy this month has been for me. (sooooo many tests…blargh) But hey! Bonus! I think this chapter might be the longest one yet! (lol, not by much though…) Bad News Bears strike again though, this evil month is not yet over, and now I have PDE's (Big fat exams that are worth 50% of my overall grade) so I have major studying to do, which means I don't know when the next chappy will be out.

 

Oh, and sorry about the weird big spaces between paragraphs…I finally got my computer to save in .htm format again, but now it puts huge spaces between paragraphs…blargh.

 

*Special thanks go out to Silver Sun for beta-ing!*

 

12: Thant-astic!

 

Vegeta groaned in frustration, attempting to squeeze himself into the constricting pair of leather pants. The concert hall was deathly hot, and the light sheen of sweat covering his body was causing the stupid pants to stick to him, making it nearly impossible to get them up past his muscled thighs. He cursed vehemently, grabbing a fistful of the smooth leather and yanking it upward, giving himself an awful wedgie in the process. Cringing at his own discomfort, he fixed himself and zipped up, then took a few steps around the room to let the pants mold to his body properly.

 

"Vegeta, you almost done?" Bridget's voice sang through the door. Your agent is here to see you!"

 

The Saiyan grunted in response, pulling a tight, black, long sleeved mesh shirt over his head and looping a thick, studded black belt around his hips. He slipped his feet into a pair of heavy, black army-style boots and crouched down to lace them up before stepping out of the change-room door. Eikre stood outside, blushing bright red in his leather hot pants and mesh crop top.

 

"This is so embarrassing." He muttered, wrapping his arms around his toned midriff. "Look at these boots Vegeta! I look like a friggin' dominatrix in these boots! Where's Bridget? She picks out what we all wear, right? I'm gonna kill her!"

 

"The first show I ever did, she tried to make me wear a studded leather thong." Vegeta countered, an amused grin on his face.

 

"I may as well be wearing a thong!" Eikre huffed, "My ass cheeks are hanging way outta this!" He pulled the short shorts down a little, but to no avail, they inched up again the minute he moved. "Damn it…My frat buddies are never going to let me live this down."

 

"So? Things could be worse." Vegeta chuckled, terribly pleased that Bridget had been smart enough to give him a decent outfit.

 

"How could things possibly get worse?"

 

"You could be Christian." He snorted, pointing toward the snooty model, who was dressed in what could only be described as a cross between pants and a thong. One leg was covered in tight black leather, while the other was left bare, the other pant leg having been cropped off just around the crotch. Eikre nearly burst out laughing as Christian turned his back to them, one pale cheek completely exposed to the world. "Bruce calls them thants."

 

"Ahh, Vegeta, you always know how to make the best of a situation." Eikre teased, grinning wickedly, "I'm going to go bug Christian." He set off, his heavy boots clunking on the floor, just as Vegeta felt a tap on his shoulder.

 

"Vegeta, Vegeta, Vegeta! Hun, you look great!" Shelly Garris-Hoderpesenburgh took in the Saiyan, the metal bangles on her wrists jangling together as she moved. "I just got a message from Ray! You remember Ray, right?"

 

"Of course I do." Vegeta snapped. How could he not remember Ray? Ray who had cast him to play one of the lead roles in a huge, big budget movie!

 

"Well, he called me, and the studio has everything figured out for the movie. They want to start filming next week. Isn't that great? And oh," she continued on without giving him a chance to answer, "You'll never guess who I saw out there! Bulma Briefs! Can you believe it? I never figured she was really into high fashion. Never seen her at a show before."

 

"Yeah…" Vegeta murmured quietly, suddenly finding himself a little nervous. He hadn't forgotten that Bulma would be coming, but he hadn't really let himself think about it either, and now that the show was just about to start, he felt a little self-conscious; a feeling he despised.

 

"Well, I've got to be off!" She sang, completely oblivious to her client's discomfort. She sailed off, her bright, airy dress sailing behind her as she made her way out. "My husband's out there waiting for me!"

 

Vegeta turned immediately toward the small refreshment table by the dressing rooms, desperately needing a drink to cool his suddenly parched throat.

 

 

"Why, Bulma! How nice to see you." Caleb's mother smiled pleasantly at the young Ms. Briefs. "Caleb, I thought you said you were bringing a date." She said pointedly, her smile souring a little as she turned her gaze upon her son.

 

"I…I begged him to take me." Bulma interjected, trying to save her friend some embarrassment. "See, I know a few of the models and I really wanted to watch the show, but I couldn't get my hands on any tickets." She spouted, not feeling terribly bad because it was only a partial lie. "When Caleb mentioned he had tickets, I begged him to take me along." She smiled impishly, pretending to be embarrassed.

 

The elder Mrs. Dios sighed irritably, pouting as she dabbed at her forehead lightly with a handkerchief. "It is rather hot in here, isn't it?" She said after a moment, changing the subject. "I wonder when the show will start."

 

"I think in about ten minutes, Mother." Caleb shifted uncomfortably in his chair, not relishing the idea of small talk with his mother. At least with his father, they could talk business or golf or something, but his mother always managed to steer the discussion toward her desire for grandchildren.

 

 

Backstage, Eikre was still at war with his hot pants, desperately trying to keep them from straying upward into his ass. "GOD DAMN IT ALL TO HELL!" He cried, yanking down the tight leather for the umpteenth time in five minutes. "SOMEBODY GET ME SOME FRIGGIN' DUCT TAPE!"

 

"Eikre!" Bruce gasped, shocked. "Don't you make me wash your mouth out with soap! That is just…just FOUL language! We don't need that kind of talk back here! This is supposed to be a happy place!"

 

"Hey Bruce! Mr. VanDios and his family have just arrived." Bridget cut in, winking at Eikre as he sent her at grateful look. Bruce tended to get really stressed right before a show, and as cheerful as he usually was, when he blew up, it wasn't pretty.

 

"Oh, really?" Bruce turned, his bubbly personality resurfacing as he allowed himself to be distracted. "Is Bulma with them? I should go tell Vegeta! He'll be happy to hear it!"

 

Bridget blinked, slightly confused. "Why would Vegeta care about Bulma Briefs being here?" She muttered to herself, not really meaning for anyone to hear.

 

"They used to live together. I think maybe they had a little something going on in the past." Eikre answered, nonchalantly tugging his hot pants down again.

 

"A…are you serious? Vegeta and Bulma Briefs? I always thought she was dating that baseball player…what's his name…Yamato…or something like that." Bridget was surprised, to say the least. Bulma really did not seem like Vegeta's type. Secretly, she had always imagined that the scarred man would have liked wilder girls. Then again though, it was not as if he had even ever given any outward indication of being attracted to anything except food.

 

"I'm not sure if they were actually, ya know, together, but Vegeta reacts awfully strange whenever anyone talks about her. Maybe they had some sort of hot, spicy affair. Or maybe it's some sort of unrequited love deal." Eikre looked around, hoping that Vegeta wasn't around to hear him, knowing the Saiyan would not enjoy any speculation about his personal life.

 

"Well, that's certainly a surprise." Bridget huffed, crossing her arms.

 

"Oh, come on. You don't actually think you have a chance with him, do you?" Eikre asked innocently, not realizing how rude his question sounded.

 

"Wha…What do you mean?!? Are you implying that I am not good enough for him?" She hissed, trying to keep her voice down. It wouldn't do to embarrass herself in front of all the models. She was struggling to keep their respect as it was.

 

"Huh? No, no no! I totally didn't mean that!" Eikre spouted, mortified at his folly. "I meant…Bridget, Vegeta's…well, I dunno, he seems like a really complicated guy. I mean, he seems to have this…reluctance to get close to anyone. Especially women. Look at the way he acts around all the girls. It's almost like he isn't sure what to do with himself. He looks nervous or like, scared. It's really weird. I think something must have happened to him when he was younger."

 

"You…think so?" Bridget asked, never having realized how perceptive the handsome model was. Truth be told, she had always thought he was a little dumb.

 

"Yeah. I mean, you can tell just by looking at him, he hasn't had an easy life. And well, I mean, he kinda likes to do his own thing, doesn't much like orders. And to tell you the truth Bridget…you're kinda pushy. I think that unnerves him."

 

"PUSHY?!?!?" Bridget shrieked, terribly insulted. "Eric, how dare-"

 

"Eikre." He cut her off, briskly stepping away. "My name is Eikre."

 

"All right everyone!!" Bruce's voice cut through the crowd backstage. "Show's going to start in two minutes! I want all of you in your places! There are some very important people out there tonight so mess up, and I'll have your balls on a platter!"

 

"We don't want to know what you do in your spare time!" A male voice chuckled, and a few of the other models giggled.

 

"You're first on my list!"

 

 

Bulma shifted in her seat, playing with the hem of her little black dress. The music had just started, and the first model was strutting down the runway, doing her thing in a cut up leather cat-suit. "Bruce and his leather." She heard Caleb sigh beside her. "I tell you, Bulma, the man must have been a dominatrix in a past life."

 

"You'd like that, wouldn't you, Cay?" She whispered back, trying not to giggle as Caleb's cheeks flushed. "Aww, I'm just teasing."

 

"Well don't do it so loud." He hissed, glancing over to see if his mother had heard Bulma's comment.

 

"Oh yeah…sorry."

 

 

"Okay Vegeta, just work your magic. You look fantabulous." Bruce bubbled, smoothing the mesh shirt over the Saiyan's broad shoulders. Vegeta shrugged the other man's hands away, feeling almost bashful for the first time since his childhood. Bulma was sitting out there, two rows back from the end of the catwalk, three seats in from the aisle. Eikre had been kind enough to note her position while he was out in his short shorts, which he was gratefully changing out of at that very moment.

 

The Saiyan swallowed a lump in his throat and straightened his back, putting on the devilish smirk that had put him on the face of so many magazine pages. His cue came up, and he stepped out onto the runway, pausing so the people nearest to the curtains could see his outfit. Springing forward, he swaggered down the walk, his feet moving in time with the beat of the music. His body rippled and swayed as he moved, looking like he owned the very planet as his eyes raked the crowd, flashing his teeth for a camera here and there.

 

Bulma felt pinned to her seat as Vegeta's angular ebony eyes locked with her own. His smirk widened a little, giving her a small glimpse of his pearly white canine teeth, sharp and slightly elongated. She felt warm all over as his tongue ran over the pointed fang, his eyes still boring into her own. Her throat went dry though, as one eye closed in a flirtatious wink before he turned his back to her, strutting back toward the curtains from whence he came.

 

Vegeta gasped nervously as he locked himself in his changing stall, quickly pulling off his first outfit to pull on the next. Had he really done that? Good God, he had winked at her! What would she think of him now? He moaned to himself, running a quick hand through his hair. He was sweating lightly, from the heat the spotlights gave off, and he took a moment to give his torso a quick rub down with a towel before pulling on his next shirt.

 

Honestly, what had come over him? Flirting with Bulma had just seemed so natural! Hell, he hadn't even realized he was doing it until he stepped backstage, to be greeted by Bruce, who was practically pissing himself in excitement.

 

"That was absolutely fantasmal!" the designer had squealed, rushing Vegeta to his changing stall. "Even better than last time. I had goosebumps! Remind me to give you a raise!"

 

 

Bulma let out a small squeak as Caleb elbowed her in the ribs, grinning wickedly at her. "Why Bulma, if I didn't know better, I'd say there's already something going on between the two of you." He teased, his silky voice low, so as not to attract any unwanted attention from the various reporters and photographers in the crowd.

 

"You be quiet." Bulma glared at her friend, a delicate shade of pink staining her high cheekbones.

 

"So what are you going to say to him backstage?" Caleb prodded, "Gonna tell him you like him?" he teased, drawing out the 'like' as if he were back in grade school, digging at a friend about cooties.

 

"Hell no! He'd probably start laughing at me or something."

 

"Aww, judging by that flirty little wink, Bulma, I'd say his interest in you is a little more than friendly. That was pure, hot, raw emotion." Caleb's voice dropped to a low, husky note, and he fluttered his eyelashes at her. "Hot, animalistic passion." He whispered, a wicked grin pulling at the corners of his mouth.

 

"Drama queen."

 

 

 

Vegeta sighed, grateful for the comfort of his own loose-fit khakis and form fitting red T-shirt. It was far too hot to be wearing leather, which, under Bruce's design, stuck to one's body like a second skin. He pulled on his favorite sneakers and met up with Eikre, who was also just emerging from the hastily erected changing stalls.

 

"Not too shabby a performance, September." Eikre smiled, swinging his coat over his shoulder. "Guess what? Just after I come back from my last run, Bridget tells me she gave me the wrong size in those stupid shorts."

 

"I'm sure it was purely accidental." Vegeta snorted, sarcasm oozing from his mouth.

 

"Nah, Bridget's too hung up on you to notice anyone else. She actually did think my name was Eric." Eikre sighed, bunching his coat under one arm after swinging it off his shoulder. "Ahh well, I caught that cute new Russian model eyeing me."

 

"Maybe she just has a thing for hot pants." The Saiyan quipped, unable to help himself.

 

"You shut up. Hey, there's Bulma Briefs! Oohh, she's way prettier in person than she is on tv. Yow, baby, look at those legs!" He laughed, earning a death glare from Vegeta. "Oh yeah…sorry…Hey, introduce me, why don't you? Maybe she'll talk spaceships with me."

 

"VEGETA!!!" Bruce cried from where he was standing with Caleb and Bulma. "OVER HERE! BULMA'S OVER HERE!"

 

"Oh, for…" Eikre heard his companion mutter a soft curse under his breath.

 

"Hey." Bulma mumbled softly as Vegeta and the younger man joined the group.

 

"Bulma, this is Eikre, another model in Bruce's company." Caleb nodded to the younger man, who immediately grabbed Bulma's hand, giving it a good, firm shake.

 

"Hi Miss Briefs, I'm Eikre Thomas, and I think you're brilliant." He blurted out, and Bulma giggled a little, embarrassed for the poor boy who was making a fool of himself.

"No need to rip her arm off." Vegeta grunted, and Eikre blushed, dropping her hand and stepping away.

 

"You're very sweet, Mr. Thomas." Bulma smiled.

 

"Eikre's just excited to meet you." Bruce put in. "He follows Capsule Corp's work in space technology."

 

"Reporters at 12 O'clock." Caleb nudged his friend, who squealed with delight, scurrying off to talk to the media about his successful show. "Hey Bulma, you seen my parents around here anywhere? I lost them somewhere in the crowd. I should probably go find them." And the handsome blonde man strode away as well, sending Eikre a pointed look as he left.

 

"And I have to…Hell…I can't think of an excuse to leave, but I'll go anyway, so you two can have some privacy." Eikre winked, sauntering off to tease Christian about the 'thants' some more.

 

"Well…" Bulma mumbled, fiddling with her purse. "Subtle, aren't they?" She forced a nervous smile, earning a snort from Vegeta, who was glaring intently at the floor. "It's good to see you Vegeta…It's been a while, hasn't it?"

 

"Yeah, I guess." He found himself wanting to be closer to her, perhaps to touch her, to take in the sweet, familiar scent. She looked very pretty in her simple black dress and elegant diamond jewelry, with her hair all piled at the back of her head.

 

"You looked…really good out there. It's no surprise your face is all over the magazines." She smiled at him again, dazzling him with her radiance. "You're going to have to start beating girls off with a stick, probably guys too." She giggled, her nervousness abating a little more with every word.

 

"It's not bad work." He shrugged. "Pays well, and gives me a lot of free time for training."

 

"Once you start shooting that movie, your free time is going to go down the drain, you know. And people will be all over you."

 

The Saiyan shrugged again, shifting to stand in a more comfortable position. The friendly ease with which he used to talk to Bulma was gradually returning, and he felt more comfortable, less like a bumbling, pre-pubescent boy. "It's a good role. Very interesting. I like it. Besides that, if it does well, it'll pay back even better than this does. And you know me," he smirked, "I've never been one to turn down fame and practical worship."

 

Bulma laughed, realizing how true his statement was. "We should go somewhere…Like, out for coffee, or you can show me your apartment. I want to see it sometime. Caleb tells me it's nice." She let one cool hand rest on his muscled forearm, oblivious to the fact there were tabloid reporters galore, busily snapping pictures of her flirtation with the Saiyan no Ouji.

 

"We usually all go out after a show…I'm sure Bruce'd love it if you came!" Eikre materialized out of the crowd, having lost track of his torture-target, Christian. "Didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I couldn't help overhearing the conversation…and knowing September here, he'd never extend the invitation."

 

"September?" Bulma questioned amusedly, looking from Vegeta to Eikre in hopes of an explanation.

 

"Aww, he never told you? Calender shoot! You're looking at 'Sexy Hunks of All Seasons'' Mr. September." Eikre teased. "It's a real good one. Go buy it. I'm December." He said proudly.

 

"Yeah, today wasn't his first time wearing hot pants. I'm beginning to think he enjoys that sort of thing." Vegeta snorted, crossing his arms and scowling.

 

"They made me wear 'em!"

 

"Wear what?" Bulma's curiosity was growing, and she couldn't help but giggle at the easy camaraderie she seemed to sense between the two men.

 

"Oh, just the skimpiest pair of red velvet, white fur trimmed hot pants you've ever seen." Vegeta said, matter of factly, rather enjoying the embarrassment the younger man was in. "Oh, quit being so embarrassed. You're the one that's telling her to go buy the damn calendar. She would have seen it anyway."

 

"I was hoping she'd be too busy staring at you, little mister deviant schoolboy." Eikre shot back.

 

"I'd rather be that than Santa's special friend!"

 

"Hey, are you guys coming out with us or not?" Christian's voice broke into the argument, and they turned to see the snooty model, thankfully having changed out of his thants and into something a little more conventional. "You're holding us all up."

 

"Fine, whatever." Eikre shrugged. "Come on you two, you know how Bruce gets without his post-show latte." Vegeta let a small smile pass over his features before following Eikre, who had already taken a few steps away. Without even thinking, he grabbed Bulma's hand, gently leading her through the crowded room toward where the other models waited.

 

Bulma shivered the instant Vegeta's warm hand touched her skin, and allowed him to lead her through the crowd. There was definitely something there…at least on her part anyway. Vegeta was still an unknown quantity, but one thing was for sure; Yamcha had to go, and the sooner, the better.

 

 

 

 

Okay, so apparently, Eikre's last name is Thomas, in honor of hot Thomas, who happens to be rather hot! *giggle* He looks like a real live anime character…*sigh* Too bad life isn't a Shoujo-manga, ne? If it were, it wouldn't matter that he's too old for me…

 

And Thants, the next fashion craze, ne? Whaddya think? *giggle*

 

Mp3 of the Day: Okay, so I was trying to write an English final today, and this song kept running through my head, so I'm going with "Not Enough" by Our Lady Peace. Really good song! I command thee, heed my words! (Yeah, I'm weird, I know…*giggle*)