Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Uber Babe ❯ Chapter 7

A/N: Again, some readers may find Vegeta to be a little OOC in this chapter. I don't think he is. Vegeta went through a lot of attitude changes during the anime. Here, he gets his heart strings tugged on earlier than he did in the anime. :)

Incidentally, I know approximately less than nothing about physical therapy, so if I've misrepresented anything, sorry!

More mushy stuff ahead. All Bunny Briefs approved, dear. Y'know, I really need to trademark that.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ. I don't want to own DBZ. I just want to fiddle around with the characters now and then.


"Hello, dears!" Mrs. Briefs sang as Toshie and Yamcha entered the banquet hall.

"Hello, Bunny," Yamcha responded, accepting the kiss Mrs. Briefs planted rather energetically on his cheek. "I guess you're pretty excited, huh?" He shot Toshie an amused look.

Mrs. Briefs laughed and clasped her hands together. "Oh my, yes," she agreed. "Everything is going just as planned. Tomorrow will be so beautiful," she simpered.

"I'm sure it will be," Toshie agreed. "The room looks just lovely."

"Doesn't it, though? Bulma is so pleased," Mrs. Briefs commented. "She's around here somewhere. Bulma deeeeear! Yamcha and Toshie are here!"

"Don't worry, Bunny. We'll find her," Yamcha assured her. "You concentrate on the rehearsal." He chuckled as the distracted blonde woman rushed off to greet (in other words, ambush) the next people to enter the hall, mumbling something about what a sweet young couple they made as she went.

"Did you bring it?"

Yamcha jumped at the low voice suddenly behind him. "Geez, Vegeta! You're going to give me a heart attack," he wheezed, clutching his chest.

Vegeta snorted. "Learn to sense ki," he retorted, not sympathetic in the least. "Toshie," he acknowledged her with a nod.

"Hey, Vegeta," Toshie responded. "It's in the trunk of the car."

Vegeta shifted, a frown on his face. "I wanted one with the meal," he admitted quietly. His fiancée wasn't around, but it was still best to keep a low profile when she wanted everything to be perfect.

"A little stressed, are we?" Yamcha asked with a smirk.

"Screw you, weakling," Vegeta snarled irritably, but he made no move to deny the younger man's accusation.

"No thanks. I have a better offer," Yamcha joked without thinking about it.

Vegeta's smirk outdid Yamcha's. "I told the woman there was something going on between you two," he crowed triumphantly.

Yamcha blushed. "That's not what I meant," he stammered, the blush growing darker as Vegeta's eyebrow rose.

"So you're not-"

"Vegeta, you're right. We're together," Toshie interrupted gently before her husband could be embarrassed any further. "We'd like to tell people ourselves though."

Vegeta's lips remained in a smirk. He loved being right and he loved one-upping Bulma's ex even more. "Fair enough," he agreed. "Beer in exchange for silence works for me."

"I didn't have a capsule with me," Yamcha told him. "I'll give you my car keys if you want. They're in my coat pocket."

Vegeta grunted with a nod. "I'll get them." He turned and stopped after a few steps. "Thanks," he murmured before continuing on his way.

Toshie recalled a few things she'd heard about Vegeta and gave Yamcha a smile. "I don't think he's as bad as everyone makes him out to be."

Yamcha chuckled at her positive disposition. "He's mellowed out a lot, yeah," he agreed. "Never say so around him, though."

"Hey guys!" Bulma's voice called out as she rushed over to them.

"Hey, Bulma." Toshie hugged her friend tightly. "The room is just beautiful."

"Thanks, Toshie. Tomorrow is going to be perfect, I just know it." Bulma beamed brightly. "Thanks so much for standing up for me on such short notice."

Toshie shot Yamcha a quick look. "Listen, Bulma, I wanted to talk to you about that."

Bulma's face slowly relaxed, as though she was expecting something bad to come out of her friend's mouth. "Yeah?"

Toshie clasped her hands together. "I can't stand up as your maid of honor tomorrow."

Bulma's eyes widened. "What?" she shrieked. "You can't? Oh my god, what am I going to do?" she all but wailed.

"Hold on, calm down," Toshie told her distraught friend with a smile. "I never said I couldn't stand up in your wedding tomorrow. I just can't do it as your maid of honor."

Bulma's brow creased in confusion. "What do you mean? What else would you stand up as?" she asked, but realization hit her when she noticed a very smug looking Yamcha standing with his hands behind his back as he rocked back on his heels. "Are you..." Her eyes widened. Could Vegeta really be right? But even if he was, Toshie would have had to...

Toshie realized that her friend must have figured it out. Her smile widened. "It'll have to be as your matron of honor." She held out her hand for Bulma to see.

Bulma grabbed Toshie's hand and gasped when she saw the diamond ring on her friend's finger, a second gold band nestled against it. Her eyes grew wider. "Holy cow, you got married?" she exclaimed.

"Uh-huh, baby," Yamcha drawled in his best Elvis impersonation as he curled an arm around Toshie's waist.

Mrs. Briefs hurried over to her astonished daughter. "Bulma, what is it?" she wheezed breathlessly. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Mom. Everything's fine," Bulma assured her anxious mother. "Toshie here just had to go one up on me, that's all," she said, giving her friend a mock annoyed look.

"Whatever do you mean, Bulma?" Mrs. Briefs asked with confusion.

"She and Yamcha got married," Bulma tattled.

Mrs. Briefs squealed in excitement and clapped her hands. "Oh, how wonderful, dear! Congratulations!" she exclaimed, hugging Toshie tightly. "Let me see your ring." She grabbed Toshie's hand and examined the ring. "Oh, my... that's just beautiful."

"Thank you, Bunny," Toshie responded, feeling a little shy as she did so.

"So, when did this happen?" the blonde woman continued. She simply had to be up on all of the gossip.

"Today, just a few hours ago," Yamcha reported proudly. "I flew us to yand we got married."

Toshie nodded in agreement. "By Elvis Presley himself," she added with a giggle.

Mrs. Briefs giggled in return. "That's just wonderful, dear," she repeated. "I'm very happy for both of you." She hugged both of them.

"Thanks, Bunny," Yamcha told her sincerely.

"See? I told you they were up to something."

Yamcha jumped in startlement for the second time since arriving that evening. "Vegeta, would you quit scaring me please?" he complained irritably.

Vegeta only laughed. Yamcha might have wondered why the Saiyan prince had suddenly loosened up so much had he himself not provided the beer Vegeta had evidently consumed. He didn't appear to be drunk, but had a nice case of The Warm Fuzzies going on; for that to have happened so quickly he must have seriously chugged the stuff down. He punched Yamcha on the arm. "Wuss."

Bulma's eyebrow rose. "You're pretty cheerful all of a sudden."

"Mmm-hmm. This is a special occasion. Why shouldn't I be cheerful?" He wrapped his arms around Bulma from behind and kissed her on the neck.

"Okay, who gave you what?" Bulma demanded, finding it difficult to be annoyed as her fiancé continued his assault on her neck.

"Hmph. Can't you just be happy that I'm not off pouting in a dark corner like you told everyone I'd be?" Vegeta complained, pulling away from her.

"I..." Bulma trailed off, realizing that she had indeed said that. "I'm sorry, honey," she murmured, shamefacedly turning to face him. "Please don't be mad."

Vegeta sighed. He never had been able to resist the little temptress and her beautiful blue eyes. "Sure, sure," he muttered.

She wrapped her arms around him. "I love you."

Vegeta smirked at her. "Of course you do," he responded matter-of-factly.

Mrs. Briefs laughed jovially. "Oh my, but you're such a delightful boy," she decided, pinching Vegeta's cheek. "Such a lucky girl my Bulma is." She began to giggle some more but suddenly stopped, her eyes growing wide. "Trunksie, no! No, don't climb there!" she yelped, dashing off after her mischievous grandson. "Damn it! Where the hell is your grandfather?"

"Want a beer?" Vegeta shouted after her, earning himself a poke in the ribs from his bride to be.

"Just one?" Mrs. Briefs hollered back as she attempted to pry her grandson's fingers from the draperies he'd been climbing.

"Nooooo!" Trunks screamed. "Wanna go up!"

"No, not here, sweetheart," Mrs. Briefs yelped.

"Trunks!" Vegeta barked out, startling the boy. He continued on in a language unlike anything Toshie had ever heard before.

The sullen boy allowed his grandmother to take him, his fat little arms crossed in a very good imitation of his father.

"Now come here, child," Vegeta commanded, his voice just daring his son to disobey him.

Mrs. Briefs put the boy on the floor, whereupon he immediately threw himself down and began a very loud tantrum of kicking, thrashing and screaming. "No no no no no-"

Toshie jumped when Vegeta suddenly appeared in front of Trunks, faster than she'd been able to follow. Realizing his predicament the child quieted suddenly and looked up at his father, letting out an audible swallow. "Wuv you, Daddy."

Vegeta once again picked his son up by the straps of his overalls and took him into one arm, turning Trunks to look at him. "Nice try. You killed my buzz and I'm not happy by your behavior, little prince." He delivered a swat to his son's bottom. "Don't you dare cry, or I'll give you something to cry about, got it?" he warned when tears welled up in the boy's eyes and he let out a little whimper.

"Vegeta... Not here, please."

Vegeta paused at the soft pleading tone of Bulma's voice. Oh, wonderful. She was going to make him console their son, despite the fact that his punishment had barely hurt, if it had at all. How would the boy learn if he was coddled every time he received any form of discipline? What was more, Vegeta would look like a soft, weak pansy of a man who didn't know how to instruct his own offspring without his mate interfering. His own father would have beaten him for such insolence! But... Vegeta could tell by his son's downcast eyes and the way he tried to control his wobbling bottom lip that Trunks was not hurt so much as he was embarrassed. His mate was correct. He had not necessarily made an error in his methodology of punishing the boy, but in the way he'd carried it out. He hadn't intended to embarrass his son by what he had done, but to let him know that his behavior was neither condoned nor would it be tolerated. He needed to reassure the boy of that if he was to keep from crushing his spirit.

He wished his own father would have understood that.

"Daddy loves you too, Trunks, but you have just earned yourself the leash. No more tantrums, understood?" Vegeta murmured to his son quietly.

Trunks' face was a picture of wonder as he looked up at his father. "Okay, Daddy."

Daddy loves you too, Trunks. Never before had Vegeta told his son anything of the like. While both Trunks and his mother reminded him often of their affections for him, he had never responded in kind. The child was overtaken by his words, and Vegeta felt guilt wash over him as the boy put his arms around his neck and clung to him tightly. It had indeed taken a measure of pride to tell his son that he was cared for in a way the boy would understand- since his mother had given him the majority of his upbringing before Vegeta had begun taking an active interest in his son- but it was a sacrifice Vegeta now knew he was willing to make. His father had never shown him affection of any kind, and his son was obviously thriving under the affection his mother and grandparents especially showered upon him. He hadn't had affection for his father the way a young boy should, and this boy did.

His father hadn't earned it. Vegeta hadn't truly either, despite having freely received it, not until now.

The child was worth it, far more than worth the small sacrifice of just a little bit of his pride. His son would not grow up neglected of his father's affections as he himself had. He would see to that.

And then... Oh boy. There was the issue of the child's mother. But that was for a later time. He'd concentrate on his son for now.

Bulma's eyes brimmed with tears when she just barely heard the softly spoken words of her mate and saw their son's response. A happy tear trickled down her cheek when Vegeta put a hand on Trunks' back, rubbing gently. This was the man she'd grown to so very much love, and it touched her heart to see him show such attention to their son. Smiling, she kissed both of her princes before silently taking her leave.

"Aww, that's so cuuute..."

Vegeta sighed wearily. "What do you want, Kakarrot?"

Goku blinked. "I came over to say 'hi' since we just got here," he answered. "I don't actually want anything."

"Good. Hi, bye." Vegeta turned on his heel and walked away.

"What was that all about?" Chi-Chi asked as she approached.

"Eh, just Vegeta being his usual cordial self," Yamcha responded. He didn't mind covering for Vegeta this once, after what had just happened with Trunks. The little boy was desperate for his father's love and attention, and he'd gotten both just then, until Goku had arrived to spoil things by pointing Vegeta's actions out. Sometimes the man had no common sense.

"Hm." Chi-Chi shifted the snoozing baby in her arms to a more comfortable position. Goten was getting big- and heavy- quickly.

"Toshie, you haven't met Goku and Chi-Chi's sons yet, have you?" Yamcha asked.

"I met Gohan at the party Wednesday, but I haven't met this little one yet," Toshie told him. "My goodness, but he looks like a miniature version of his father." She leaned in a little closer. "What a cutie!"

"Thank you," Chi-Chi responded as Goku stood beside her, beaming at his little son proudly.

"All right, everyone!" Mrs. Briefs called out. "Let's eat!"

"Oh, good. I'm pretty hungry," Goku noted to no one in particular.

Toshie suddenly laughed and pointed. Trunks was zooming by, and he was indeed on a leash which attached to a harness around the little boy's torso. He was dragging along his hapless mother like a big dog taking its owner for a walk. "I would so do that."

"We'll see," Yamcha murmured, giving her a little grin that made her go weak at the knees.

Chi-Chi frowned in confusion. Toshie was blushing, and Yamcha was grinning at her with a knowing expression on his face. Surely that didn't mean... She snuck a glance at Toshie's hand. Sure enough, a diamond ring glinted on her finger. Chi-Chi's eyes widened in surprise. "You're engaged?" she exclaimed.

"No, this lovely lady and I got married this afternoon," Yamcha corrected her, sliding an arm around Toshie's waist.

Chi-Chi blinked much like her husband had earlier. "You got married today? Wow, that was quick."

"I wasn't about to let Toshie go that easily," Yamcha informed his surprised friend.

"Besides, we wanted to do something wild and crazy today," Toshie added, shooting her husband a wink.

"I guess so," Chi-Chi agreed. She smiled. The two were young and in love. How could she criticize them? "I'm glad that Yamcha finally found someone special. Congratulations to you both."

"Thank you," Toshie smiled at the other woman. She, too hadn't been judgmental, just surprised.

"Yeah, thanks Chi-Chi," Yamcha added, giving his new wife a gentle squeeze. "Toshie is very special to me."

"Aren't they cute together, Chi? I bet they'll make cute kids, too," Goku babbled, obviously affected by all of the female influence around him.

Toshie blushed. "Uhm, thanks Goku. Didn't Bunny say it was time to eat?" She'd just gotten married and, while they had agreed that they would like to have children, Yamcha hadn't done any more than touch her, let alone... Her blush deepened at the thought of intimacy with her husband.

"Oh, Goku! You've gone and embarrassed Toshie," Chi-Chi chastised. "Sorry, Toshie. Goku has a tendency not to think before he speaks sometimes," she said in an accusatory tone, reaching over to deliver a thwack! on the back of Goku's head with her purse.

"Owww! Chiiiii," Goku whined, holding a hand against his head. "That hurt." It didn't help things any that Vegeta had witnessed the thwacking and was openly laughing at him.

"Oh, Goku. You know that didn't hurt," Chi-Chi told him. "If you'd prefer my frying pan-"

"Nooo... Let's go eat," Goku interrupted before Chi-Chi could pencil him in for a good panning.

***

"I keep thinking about what Goku said this evening," Yamcha said in a low voice. "I'm looking forward to tonight." He took his eyes off the road long enough to shoot a glance his wife's way. Puar had been staying at Roshi's place for the past few days while all the final wedding arrangements had been made, knowing that Yamcha wouldn't be home much. Privacy wouldn't be an issue.

As he expected, Toshie blushed. "Me, too," she admitted, looking down at her hands in her lap. As many times as she'd thought about it, she would be lying if she said she wasn't nervous. While she knew Yamcha would never intentionally hurt her, she'd heard so many stories about the act that she didn't know what to believe. At the same time, she was glad that she had waited to give herself only to her husband. But, how to tell him?

Yamcha chuckled. She was adorable when she blushed and ducked her head so shyly. "Did you want to ditch Bulma and Vegeta and just go home instead, then?" he asked suggestively, reaching over to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

Toshie shivered at his touch and giggled. "We said we'd go," she reminded him. "It's just for a few last minute things and to grab our clothes, and we're almost there. It would be weird if we suddenly turned around now."

"I know. You're right," Yamcha conceded, although who would blame him? He'd just gotten married, and it was only natural that he'd be itching to make love to his wife. "We don't have to stay long."

"No. I'm sure they'll want to get a little extra sleep anyway," Toshie agreed.

The conversation fell quiet for a moment. "God, Toshie. All I can think about is taking you home and making love to you," Yamcha blurted. "You're my wife. My wife! It sounds, I don't know, almost surreal, you know? I still can't believe that I married such a sweet, beautiful woman as you," he told her, reaching over to take her hand. "You're everything I could wish for in a wife." He didn't care if it turned out that she'd never picked up a duster before or could hardly boil water. She was perfect.

Toshie's eyes filled with tears. "Oh, Yamcha," she whispered. "I know exactly what you mean." She too had been waiting to meet Mr. Right, and for a long time it seemed like he'd never arrive. Now that she'd not only met him but had actually married him, it was hard to believe it was true.

He squeezed her hand and let it go so he could turn the car down Capsule Corp's long driveway. "Here we are, love," he murmured. "Just a little while longer, and we can finally be alone."

She nodded and unbuckled her seat belt so she could cuddle up against him, sighing contentedly when his arm curled around her. Their courtship had been extremely short, but she knew in her heart that they would be happy together.

Yamcha parked the car and leaned down to kiss her. The kiss quickly became rather heated, and he found himself having difficulty keeping his hands from roaming her body. If that happened, he didn't think he'd have the strength to stop.

A knock on the car's window startled them for the second time that day. "Hey, save that for later," Bulma yelled through the glass, repeating what he'd said to her when she and Vegeta had been kissing in the car before going into the bar just three days prior.

"Go away," Yamcha called back, kissing Toshie again before heaving a sigh and getting out of the car. "You're a mood spoiler," he accused Bulma.

Bulma only laughed. "Oh you know, what goes around," she teased. "C'mon in for an hour or so then you can go at it."

Toshie and Yamcha exchanged a glance. She sighed and shrugged. "She's not going to go away, is she?"

Yamcha laughed and gave her another kiss. That was something he truly appreciated about his wife. She knew how to make him laugh. "Not a chance in hell," he agreed.

They followed Bulma into the house, which was dark except for the kitchen. Vegeta sat at the table, practically inhaling what appeared to be the remains of a roast from that night's meal.

"You're... you're still hungry?" Toshie asked, incredulity evident in her voice. She'd seen the sheer quantities of food that the Saiyans had put away that evening and couldn't believe that Vegeta still had room, let alone that he could still be hungry.

Vegeta grunted in response before swallowing. He'd learned not to become offended by humans' questions in their ignorance of his race. They'd become more and more commonplace, not only after Trunks' birth, but especially after his and Bulma's engagement had been announced and people took more of an interest in- or rather, had become even more nosy about- Bulma Briefs' unusual fiancé. "Saiyans consume far more food than humans do."

"I guess so." A slow smile spread over her face. "I still have to wonder where you put it all."

Vegeta's eyebrows creased and he unconsciously tilted his head the same way he hated seeing Goku do it. "It goes into my stomach. Where else would it go?"

Bulma laughed and kissed him on the cheek. "It's just an expression, Veggie," she giggled.

Vegeta rather hypocritically grunted in annoyance at the display of affection and took another large bite of meat. "Whatever. Your stuff is in those capsules." He nodded toward two capsules on the counter.

"Thanks, Vegeta." Toshie put the capsules in her purse.

"You guys are staying for a drink, aren't you?" Bulma asked. "C'mon into the den and I'll get you something."

"I don't think so, Bulma," Yamcha objected. "We can't stay too long, and-"

This time it was Vegeta's turn to laugh. "Can't wait to get her alone, weakling?"

"Shut up, Vegeta," Yamcha objected as Toshie's cheeks turned pink. "That's none of your business."

"Oh, really Vegeta!" Bulma exclaimed. "How classy was that?"

"What?" Vegeta asked in an I-didn't-do-anything voice. "I never said anything about him plowing her."

Toshie's blush deepened. "Thank you very much for the capsules, Vegeta," she said in a loud voice. "I think we should get going now."

Bulma promptly picked up one of her mother's hard cover cookbooks and thumped Vegeta in the back of the head with it.

"Woman! What the hell?" Vegeta growled, giving her an evil eye.

"Be glad I don't use a cast iron frying pan like Chi-Chi does," Bulma retorted. "For heaven's sake, Vegeta, use some manners."

"I didn't say anything that wasn't true," Vegeta insisted. He stopped at the look on his fiancée's face. It wasn't one he liked.

It meant The Couch.

At best.

"I apologize, Toshie," he grumbled, hating not only allowing Bulma to bend him to her wishes but even more so when her ex-boyfriend was involved.

"It's okay, Vegeta," Toshie assured him. "What else would we be doing?"

Vegeta happened to be taking a drink of water at that moment and nearly choked on it. He hadn't expected her to be so brutally honest. A smirk formed at the corner of his mouth. He'd been seeing more and more glimpses of what Yamcha liked about this female as the night went on. "Heh." He picked up his plate and put it into the sink. "You're all right, woman."

"I think I'll take that drink now, Bulma, thanks," Yamcha said wearily.

"No problem," Bulma told him. "Let's head to the den." They heard Bulma hiss "you'd better behave," as they stepped out of the kitchen.

Yamcha took Toshie's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Sorry about that," he told her. "Just remember, it's Vegeta."

"Don't worry, he'll get his," she whispered back, giving him a conspiratorial look as they entered the den.

Yamcha felt a smile spread over his lips at the glint in her eyes. Was she up to something? But he had no time for anything else, for Bulma and Vegeta entered shortly after they did. As he suspected, Vegeta had traces of lipstick at the corner of his mouth. ~Hypocrite.~ "What's the special of the day, Bulma?"

"Hmmm..." Bulma headed for the small cabinet in the corner and tilted her head in contemplation as she perused the selection it contained.

"Do you have the makings for a gin and tonic?" Toshie asked. That should be easy enough.

"I can do that." Bulma pulled the requested items out of the cabinet. "Okay by you, Yami?"

"Absolutely." Yamcha sat down on the couch, guiding Toshie down beside him.

Bulma handed them their drinks. "Okay, here's the question. Can you two be there by noon tomorrow? I'll have the limo pick you up and something for us to eat."

Yamcha and Toshie exchanged another look. "I don't see why not," he agreed when she shrugged in indifference.

"Wonderful, thank you." Bulma sank down onto the loveseat next to Vegeta. "I should have written all of this down. I feel so scatterbrained lately."

"Don't worry about it, Bulma," Toshie assured her. "If you think of stuff, just text one of us."

"Oh! That reminds me. Did you get a phone call about your job interview yet?" Bulma asked.

Toshie's face brightened. "I knew I knew that number," she exclaimed. "I got a phone call while we were in and since I didn't recognize the number right off the bat, I didn't answer. I'll bet it was Mr. Takada's secretary."

"I'll grab your purse," Yamcha offered. Momentarily he returned and handed it to her.

Toshie took her phone from her purse and drew in a deep breath. "There's a message."

"Go ahead and listen to it, sweetheart," Yamcha encouraged her.

Toshie nodded. It was obvious that she was nervous as she retrieved the message. "Oh! It's Mr. Takada himself!" She paused, listening for a few seconds, when her face slowly fell. When the message was over, she put the phone back into her purse.

"You weren't offered the job?" Bulma asked softly.

"No." Disappointment was heavy on Toshie's voice. She leaned against Yamcha, who put an arm around her in silent consolation. "I... I might have expected this. Thinking back on it, during the interview he commented about how petite I am, almost as if he doubted that I'd have the ability to do the job."

Vegeta sat up straighter on the loveseat. He, too, knew what it was like to be underestimated due to his stature. "What do you do?"

"I'm a physical therapist," she told him, setting her purse down on the floor. "I help people who have been injured or perhaps have had surgeries to regain the use of their motor skills through therapy such as stretching, various exercises, things like that. I've even helped a couple of people learn to walk again." She smiled. "I love what I do. It's very fulfilling. But the company I was working for was downsizing and had to let me go because I was low man on the totem pole, even after five years."

"Oh." Vegeta thought about that. "You assist patients to do stretches?"

"Yes, to help loosen up tight muscles and to build strength. Sometimes they get heat or massage therapy, too," Toshie acknowledged.

Now that was the answer Vegeta wanted to hear. It would be a convenient excuse to see how good this woman really was. "Can you get a lump out of my shoulder?"

"Vegeta," Bulma objected. "That's not why we asked Toshie to come over, especially after you were so rude earlier."

"No, it's all right," Toshie assured her friend. She scooted forward on the couch's cushion to sit at its edge. "Come sit on the floor here and I'll take a look at it."

Vegeta immediately got up and sat on the floor in front of her. "It's right here," he told her, reaching behind his back to touch his shoulder.

Her fingers expertly felt the muscle and her eyebrow rose. "That's quite a knot you've got there," she murmured. "Take your shirt off and I'll rub it out for you."

Vegeta pulled his shirt off and tossed it at Yamcha, smirking over his shoulder as he did so. "See? Even your wife wants me to get naked," he drawled.

"Vegeta." Bulma was beginning to sound like a broken record.

"I think your shirt will be quite sufficient," Toshie assured him, giving Yamcha a knowing look.

"Have you gotten a back rub yet, weakling?" Vegeta teased.

"Oh, I don't think giving Yamcha a back rub is very near the top of my to-do list," Toshie interjected, holding in her own smirk when Yamcha grinned in satisfaction.

"Okay, all right," Bulma spoke up, shooting Vegeta a look that clearly served to remind him of her earlier threat. "Will this help, Toshie?" She held up a tube of hand lotion on the small table next to the loveseat.

"Yes, thank you." She caught the lotion Bulma tossed her way and worked a liberal amount onto the area.

Vegeta let out a little grunt as she began to work deeper into the knot. He hadn't expected her to dig in quite so quickly and it had surprised him.

"Does it hurt too much?" Toshie asked. "I can let up if you want."

"No." Vegeta was not a weakling. He could easily take anything she dished out!

"All right, then." Toshie applied even more pressure. "That's a really stubborn knot you've got there."

"I maintain a very stringent training regimen," Vegeta informed her. "A little knot is nothing new."

"Ah." Toshie gave Yamcha a sideways glance. "Then it won't bother you if I do this." Before he could say anything, she pulled up her sleeve, stood up, and drove her elbow down onto the knot.

Vegeta had let his head droop forward and sat straight upright, letting out an exclamation of surprise in what Toshie assumed was the same language she'd heard him scold Trunks in earlier.

"Oooh, I heard it pop. Nasty," Yamcha commented in amusement. His wife was one tough cookie, and Vegeta was a whiner.

Vegeta raised his arm and rotated the joint. "Hmm. You got it out."

"Does it hurt?" Bulma asked, getting up from her seat.

"No." It was a little sore, but he'd never admit to it. He looked over his shoulder at Toshie. "This Takada individual is an imbecile. If you want employment, I'll hire you."

"Y-you want to hire me?" Toshie stammered. This was not at all what she had expected.

Vegeta got to his feet. "Every therapist Bulma has hired has proven to be inadequate," he complained. "You, however, are quite effective in your methodology." His eyebrow rose. "You got out the knot."

Yamcha's brows rose. Coming from Vegeta, this was high praise, indeed. "You want to hire Toshie? Wow."

Vegeta smirked at him. "It doesn't bother you that your wife would be seeing me naked, other than the small area the sheet covers?" he taunted.

"I'm sure Toshie won't care how small said area is," Yamcha countered slyly. "That's your problem, and if Bulma's willing to overlook it, then gods bless her."

"Vegeta, no killing your best man," Bulma managed between snickers. "I told you to behave yourself, and you sauntered right into that one."

Vegeta exhaled slowly. "Fine." He didn't need Bulma angry at him. "I'll wager you have a very... interesting night ahead of you," he informed Yamcha.

***

"Almost home." Yamcha drummed his thumbs on the steering wheel as he waited impatiently for the traffic light to change. They'd stopped by the hotel to get Toshie's things, and he'd been sorely tempted to just stay the night there.

"Yeah." Toshie smiled a little shyly at him. "You know, as we were leaving, Vegeta told me that his offer still stands."

She was acting so nervous! But he'd put that aside for now. "You know, you don't have to work at all if you don't want to, Toshie," Yamcha told her. "I make more than enough money to support us both."

"I know," Toshie countered. "But..."

"But, that's not the point," Yamcha finished.

"Right." She looked over at him. She didn't know what he brought home, and honestly didn't care. Money wasn't the reason she married him. She just wanted to feel useful, and continue doing what she enjoyed.

Her eyes shone in the light coming in the windows. She was beautiful. She was his. "Hey, don't worry about it for now," he soothed. "We'll work it out."

She nodded. "Okay." The car proceeded through the intersection, and she couldn't help but ask. "Incidentally, what do you make?"

Yamcha paused. "This coming season will be eighteen million zeni," he responded as casually as if they'd been discussing the weather.

Toshie nearly choked. "Ei-eighteen m-million?" she stammered. She couldn't even fathom that kind of money!

Yamcha nodded. "I managed to get a really good contract with the Titans."

She nodded dumbly. "I... I guess so," she agreed. "Yamcha, you know marrying you had nothing to do with money. I would have been happy if you flipped burgers for a living."

Yamcha smiled at her. "I know, love. It's one of the many things I appreciate about you." He pulled into a parking structure and turned off the engine. "Well, here we are." He got out of the car and hurried over to her side to get her door for her.

She allowed him to lead her out of the structure and to his apartment. "3C," she read on the door.

"Yep." Yamcha unlocked the door and scooped her up, carrying her across the threshold. "I've been waiting all day to do that," he breathed, pushing the door shut with one foot.

Toshie blushed. "I kind of wondered if you would," she admitted.

He chuckled throatily as he carried her into the bedroom. "That's not all I plan on doing tonight," he informed her, setting her down on her feet.

They shed their coats and stood staring at each other until Toshie got up the courage to close the gap between them and slid her arms around his neck to kiss him.

He hummed in pleased agreement and returned the kiss. No longer having to restrain himself, his hands skimmed over her body, caressing her as they went. He reached down to grasp the bottom of her sweater, breaking the kiss long enough to pull it over her head. Suddenly, he paused.

She was trembling, ever so slightly.

"Toshie, are you all right?" Yamcha asked, concerned.

She nodded. "I... I want to do this. I really want to. But I'm a little nervous because I've never, I mean, I'm..."

Two and two made four with sudden clarity in Yamcha's head, and her shy behavior instantly made sense. "Oh, Toshie. Why didn't you tell me?" he asked in a soothing tone. "I don't want to rush you." He kissed her again and held her close.

"I don't know why I didn't say anything. I guess I was just nervous," Toshie confessed. "I mean, you didn't ask, and how do I bring something like that up? Hey, by the way honey, I'm still a virgin, so I have no clue about anything..."

"Toshie, that's nothing to feel embarrassed about," Yamcha told her. "What a beautiful gift. In fact, I truly wish I could give the same to you." He stroked her hair gently. "I don't want to hurt you, not ever."

She knew what he was referring to. "I know." She cuddled closer to him, feeling safe and warm in his arms. "Yamcha?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"I'm glad I waited for you."

He kissed the top of her head. He was glad too, but didn't want to seem conceited, so he held her close and nestled his chin against her hair. "I love you, Toshie."

She tilted her face up to look at him. "I love you too, Yamcha." She pulled his head down to kiss him again.