Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Veil ❯ Pity ( Chapter 14 )

Nightfall had slowly begun descend on Vegeta-sei.

The lights had been turned down low, and so Bulma stood by the large windows of the room, bathed in the glow of brilliant moonlight. The two moons of the planet seemed uncannily pale that evening. It was as if they knew exactly what had happened and were grieving the occurrences of the day.

Bulma looked grimly at the sleeping Prince, who was now bandaged up thanks to Bardock.

His healing had begun.

Bardock had gone to get his son, Kakarott, in order to search for Radditz and so now Bulma was all alone in the large and exquisite room, with only a slumbering Saiya-jin to accompany her.

She had tried to force Bardock to stay with her, she did not want to be left alone to tend for the cruel Prince's wounds. But he did not heed her protests, though she did understand that he had to search for his own son. Her gaze shifted once again and she found herself looking up at the twinkling stars of the night sky. There was one thing that would not stop pestering her.

Why had Frieza left Vegeta alive?

After all the things done to him, surely Vegeta would feel as though he had suffered a great loss, his pride and self-esteem. Surely, he wouldn't want to live?

Bulma shivered at the coldness of the room, she had always despised night time on Vegeta-sei. It was always so eerily quiet, as if something was waiting to pounce on you when you least expected it.

A moan from the bed caught her attention.

She looked over at the stirring Prince. Bardock had been right, Saiya-jins healed much faster than humans. Although he wasn't fully healed, he was well on his way. Bulma walked slowly towards the large bed occupied by Vegeta. For some strange reason, he looked so small against the large size of the bed. He looked almost like a child, if it were not for the deep worry lines that were embedded into his face.

His handsome face had been marred considerably by the ruthless Frieza, Bulma could not even comprehend how Vegeta had survived the ordeal. At that moment there was a look of peacefulness on his face, that is until he started to stir once more.

Bulma frowned, noticing he did not look any better than when she had first laid eyes on him in the throne room. She crouched down beside the bed and gently placed the back of her hand against his forehead. He was running a fever, a very high fever.

Bulma sighed, knowing what she had to do. She still loathed Vegeta for all he had put her through, but to see him like this was heart breaking. To see what the great Saiya-jin no Ouji had been reduced to.

She stood up and walked to the connecting bathroom, she began to run a dry towel underneath the cold water. Rinsing the towel out, she returned to where Vegeta lay and placed the damp cloth gently on his forehead. This caused him to stir some more.

His body started to spasm slightly under her touch. This made Bulma start to panic slightly. What was wrong with him now? Her thoughts were flying through her at an immense speed, trying to figure out what she should do. Even though he was still unconscious, she knew he may be able to hear her voice. She coughed, clearing her throat.

Rubbing the towel against his forehead, she spoke softly and gently. "Vegeta.. It's ok."

His thrashing slowed to almost non-existent.

Bulma didn't know what else to say, instead she started humming a soothing tune, keeping the movements of the towel in rhythm with the beats in the tone. This was the only way she knew how to keep him from too much fitful movement, it would only do him more damage if he thrashed around like a bat out of hell.

He began to relax under the soothing humming of her voice and the cool cloth on his forehead. Bulma couldn't help believe that he was very much aware of his surroundings and what was going on, even though he was not awake.

Bulma narrowed her eyes as his lips began to twitch, she could tell he was awakening. She prayed that Bardock and Kakarott would hurry back from their search of Radditz. She begged Kami to let them come bearing good news.

But as we all know, news can never be good. If only Bulma knew that.

Her hearing sharpened as Vegeta began mumbling incoherent words. He was saying something she couldn't quite put her finger on.

Vegeta stirred and growled quietly, "Frieza.."

Bulma started to wonder if Vegeta had been traumatized by what happened earlier. What man wouldn't be? She reasoned with herself.

You hear cases of females being raped, continually. And Bulma was no exception. But men? Who had ever heard, commonly, of a grown man being subjected to such a horrific act.

Vegeta's eyes snapped open.

Bulma gasped and stared into the obsidian orbs. For some reason, they looked colder than before. They two shiny orbs had lost its fire, now they seemed hollow and empty, if not full of more content to the world around them.

Much like Bulma's had been ever since she had been forced away from her home.

Vegeta tried to sit up, but found himself to be immobile. Every limb, even every inch of his body that he moved, screamed out in agony. This was one of the worst beatings he had received since childhood.

After another failed attempt at sitting up, he gave up and flopped ungracefully back down on the soft bed. All the while he knew Bulma's eyes were on him, he couldn't bring himself to look at her. So ashamed he was. He could not even fight of one tiny fucking lizard, some Prince he was!

Vegeta could tell that Bulma knew what had happened to him. This cut him even deeper than anything else in the world.

Bulma continued to stare at him, afraid that he might lash out at any moment. However this time he did nothing of the sort, just remained silent and not daring to make eye contact with her. She found it necessary to say something, anything. "No one else knows.." She trailed off as his head snapped sideways, to face her. She half expected him to hit her, which of course he did not do.

Bulma took a deep breath and pressed the cool cloth gently onto his forehead, trying to relieve his burning fever. "Bardock says that you should be healed by tomorrow evening. Pretty lucky if you ask me."

Vegeta remained silent, but he found the strength to look at her. Her raven hair framed her face perfectly, making her seem all the more exotic. The cerulean that had once graced her iris, were now nothing except an inky black like the writing ink on Vegeta-sei.

There was something in her features that was different, that startled him. She was not wearing the look of hatred she normally donned, when looking at him. No, this was a different emotion. Something new, something to which he hadn't been on the receiving or giving end of.

And that was pity.

He narrowed his eyes, she felt pity for him! He did not need anyone's pity. Snarling, to the best extent that he could, he gathered up enough strength to brush her hand away and send the damp towel hurling across the room.

"Do not pity me ningen. DO NOT PITY ME!"

Shock was all Bulma could gather from the sudden outburst. As soon as it was there, it dissipated and anger began to show full force. "Listen good Vegeta. I don't give a shit about you. I'm only doing what Bardock told me to do!"

In truth, she was very worried about Vegeta. He was not behaving normally, for he would have attempted to harm her by now. Even the fiery rage that built up in his eyes was no longer there. It was just an empty black void, in which she found herself being sucked into.

Vegeta turned his head away from Bulma, not being able to watch the look of anger on her face any longer. Memories from earlier were imprinted into his mind and he wasn't sure if they would ever leave. He shook slightly. Would he be a coward to say that he was even more frightened of Frieza now than before? It had to be some sort of horrible nightmare, the Saiya-jin no Ouji, afraid?!

Trembling with new found feelings, Vegeta closed his eyes. He would not give up. He would defeat Frieza, even if it killed him to do so. Today's events had only fueled a deeper resolve in him.

"Leave me be," he mumbled to Bulma. He was still not able to look at her, for fear she would be giving him one of her pitiful 'sorry' looks.

Bulma stood up and retrieved the towel that had been thrown across the room. She made sure it was ice cold before placing it gently back on Vegeta's forehead.

Vegeta closed his eyes at the contact. If there was ever a time he hated the ningen, it was now. He despised pity. His hearing became more acute with his eyes closed, he could sense her, his mate, leave the room. He drifted off into a restless sleep, with only one thing on his mind.

Revenge.

*****

Bulma closed the door softly behind her as she stepped into the foyer of Vegeta's chambers. She looked up sharply as the main entrance was banged shut. "Bardock!"

Bardock strode forward to Bulma, with Kakarott in tow. His face was set in grim features, giving him the appearance that he had aged even more than before.

Bulma frowned as she looked around, "What is it?" She looked around trying to find Radditz and spoke to Kakarott, "Where is Radditz? Did he return to his home?"

Kakarott looked down at the floor, his jaw twitching as if in mild anger.

Bardock spoke after what seemed like a small eternity, "Bulma.." He found that he couldn't say anything else.

Bulma looked from Bardock to Kakarott and back to Bardock again. The looks on their faces gave more of an impact than words ever could.

She sunk on her knees to the floor and whispered the forbidden word.

"Radditz..."

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