Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ A Saiyan For All Seasons ❯ Goodbye Vegeta ( Chapter 10 )

A Saiyan For All Seasons

Chapter Nine

Goodbye Vegeta

Disclaimer: Ember sits at a table. The tray on it contains a glass of lemonade, a lime cordial with a crumpled paper umbrella, and a pint of bitter. She doesn't care that DBZ isn't hers. Instead she reaches forward, letting her fingers curve around the base of her chosen beverage. She smiles and raises the glass in salutation. "We have a winner!"

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Bulma woke with a start. She peered around her cream canvas tent and tried to figure out what could have roused her at such an ungodly hour. Darkness wormed its way into every facet of her surroundings. The steep canyon walls were completely blocking the moon and any light that did manage to filter down was from the stars alone. It might have been the middle of summer, but there was still a decided chill to the air. She could hear the river outside. At this height it was fast and powerful, tumbling through the mountains in a constant torrent. The stone was giving her back rough justice and the cold it held was permeating the fabric of two sleeping bags.

There was something in the air - a feeling that made her flesh tingle and dread to clamber up her throat. Why she would feel this way with her friends - the world's strongest warriors - asleep around her was unclear, but it was there nonetheless, taunting her for not being able to place it. Warning bells were going off in her mind like little explosions of impending doom and her heart thumped so wildly that it felt like it was going to rip right through her ribcage.

She gulped.

There was a weird amalgamation of shadows in the corner that, in the darkness, looked a lot like a little goblin staring wickedly at her, coiled and ready to strike. Tearing her eyes away she pinned them to the roof of the tent instead. It didn't help. The more she looked at the apex the more convinced she became that she could see the outline of a figure.

Blindly her hands fumbled around the tent as she tried to find a flashlight, matches, anything that would allow her vision enough to see that she was panicking for no reason.

In such a confined space she could hear her own breathing, uneven and rasping with the fear she felt. She had an instinctual feeling, a preternatural sense that she wasn't alone. She twisted to unzip the pouch of her bag and found the mini-maglight there. The tent filled with light as she pushed the switch forward and the sinister shadows suddenly took on a less enigmatic form.

The goblin was nothing more than her boots thrown in the corner and with her jacket over the top, and the shape above her was gone. It was probably just a peculiar formation of rock, jutting out from the gorge side. She exhaled a long breath unaware that she had been holding it in.

It was just as she was about to snuggle back under her covers when the feeling of dread returned. Not in sound or sight, but in a gut feeling that fluttered and somersaulted in her belly. Even being able see properly now did little to help quash the feeling.

It took a lot of forced long breaths for Bulma to solve the riddle, and she vowed to take a good dose of valium before her next camping adventure. The feeling wasn't dread - it was ki. Who the ki belonged to was hard to tell. Unlike her friends, she could only sense ki in close proximity, and she certainly couldn't determine from which fighter it emanated. More than likely whatever had woken her up had also roused one of her friends and she felt better for knowing that she wasn't the only one awake.

She sat up and drew a tired hand over her eyes, knowing it was pointless going back to sleep. If she didn't find out who it was now she would be tossing and turning all night and with a hundred foot climb tomorrow, that wasn't a desirable thought.

"Yamcha? Son-Kun? Is that you?" she whispered. The flashlight flickered and started to dull. She tapped the bottom with her palm, hoping it was just a loose connection.

No one replied.

She tried again, this time saying it louder just in case the rapids a few feet away had swallowed her voice. Again there was no answer and panic tightened around her chest. The batteries in her Maglight gave out. The light flickered once and then died and no amount of violence she inflicted on the base brought the sanctuary of her little light bubble back.

She was loath to leave the semi-warmth and comfort of her tent, but right now there was only one place she wanted to be. In Yamcha's tent, wrapped up in his friendly embrace and safe from her own overactive imagination. She dragged her hiking boots on and without tying the laces, rushed out, intent on getting to Yamcha's tent as quickly as humanly possible.

She made it no more than two steps into the open.

Her head took the majority of the impact. Whatever she ran into was hard and unyielding. She hadn't thought the gorge walls were that close to her tent and after taking a couple of reeling steps backwards she started to fall.

She didn't finish.

Something wrapped itself tightly around her wrist before she hit the ground. She could feel it constricting around her, and as the seconds ticked by, she became dimly aware of the warmth it emitted. Once the pain in her forehead dulled she could see the outline of a hand, strong and masculine and completely enveloping her own. It wasn't rock she'd raced into, but flesh and blood. Whoever it was had managed to grab her before she had fallen. Still precariously balanced she searched the gloom to see who it was. Unfortunately her tent opened towards the cliff and nothing could be seen other than impenetrable shadow.

"Yamcha?" she asked. "Is that you?"

The iron hold instantly relaxed. Bulma fell, smashing her backside onto the rock with a resounding thwack. She groaned, rubbing her sore tailbone, but as her companion took a step nearer realization warmed her like fire on a cold winter's night. Its flames caressed her soul and although it didn't drive the fear away, it dulled it somewhat. The shadows took on a form that couldn't be mistaken. As the saying goes 'Better the devil you know than the devil you don't.'

"Vegeta?"

She heard a faint snort above the noise of the river, instantly confirming her suspicions.

"What on earth are you doing here?" she whispered.

"I have no idea, but it was worth it to see you acting like such a frightened little child." His voice was little more than a deep, chesty rumble. "Then again I know for a fact now that you weren't lying when you said you could sense my energy and I see it is with better precision than those of your planet's strongest warriors." Bulma was always amazed how he sounded in the early hours of the morning. How he abandoned the abrupt and gruff growl of the day and instead lilted his words into a luxurious, rich dance of mystery and enticement. The monkey could probably talk about something as mundane as the weather in this way and still manage to make her heart race.

"So you flew over three hundred miles just to scare the shit out of me?" she replied dryly. "Gee, thanks."

He chuckled. "You're welcome."

"Ugh! Why do I bother," she huffed. "Well, you succeeded, I was crapping myself. Can I go back to bed now? Or…" she quirked an eyebrow, "do you have another reason for coming that you're too proud to admit?"

"Your father finished his preparations early," he relented. "I leave first thing."

He said no more. Obviously he thought this was explanation enough, and oddly, Bulma found that it was. It wasn't like she was going to forget the conversation with him on the toilet at Son-Kun's house, but she certainly hadn't expected him to make a personal appearance.

"If I remember rightly I asked you to call me," she said, wondering if the hope she felt clambering through her would be justified through his actions. "Not prowl around my tent like some kind of wild animal."

"I am a wild animal."

He was very close now. Bulma could feel his warm breath fanning against her skin and she could make out the outline of his face. Those eyes though - even this close they were still a muddle of shadows - mysterious, threatening, and Bulma wondered if it was the night or the man that made them so dark. The gaze was hidden but deadly accurate in its aim. Bulma could feel herself becoming aroused at the mere closeness and yet elusiveness of the veiled Saiyan. What was it about this man that made her feel so scared and yet so turned on at the same time? Vegeta had often told her that he could smell her arousal. On occasion during their couplings he had inhaled her crotch the same way a professional wine taster would savour the aroma from a glass of the finest chateau rouge. She wondered if he could smell her fear in the same way.

"Hmm." Invading his shroud she reached out to touch his face, feeling what her eyes still couldn't properly see. "An animal?" She ran a thumb over his eyebrow and was surprised to find the usual lines that creased his forehead were gone. His brow was prominent, as always, but the skin was smooth and incredibly warm. "I thought you were a prince?"

His head moved ever so slightly under her fingertips. "I am the best of both, as I am the best of everything." Bulma was about to reply, but she was rendered silent when his lips touch hers. It was so soft, unlike the usual dominance he demanded. There was no urgency, the two full lips briefly clung to each other and then parted as though simply reaffirming what they both already knew.

This was what Bulma needed. This was how she wanted him to say goodbye, and if she had agreed with Yamcha when she closed her eyes that night, with no more than a bombardment of sensation, Vegeta had spoken to her in a way that she couldn't ignore. There was more to this situation than either had been willing to admit before, and under the gentleness of his mouth's caress, she could almost swear it. She hadn't had her fill of the Saiyan no Ouji yet, and she wasn't about to let him go until she had depleted every single resource he had.

At a natural pause, Vegeta stepped away. He turned in the darkness and looked pointedly to Yamcha's tent. "Does he know?"

"Yes. I told him before we went to sleep. I'm sorry to disappoint you but he actually took it pretty well… considering."

"I don't care how he took it, so long as he knows," he replied, and clasped her wrist once more. "And now we're leaving."

"What?" She twisted in his grip trying to get free. "I can't leave."

"You can and will, Woman," he said, looking suspiciously about him. "They will notice if I stay any longer." His gaze fell on her once again. "And I haven't finished with you yet."

With no other explanation, his arm snagged her waist. She felt pressure and heat explode around her body. He didn't fly, but crouched to the floor and then jumped into the air, bouncing them up to a jut of rock above. He did this three or four more times before they eventually reached the top. Once there, he set off at a fast pace, brushing through the undergrowth as though it weren't there. Then, as soon as he adjudged himself to be far enough away to risk flight, the invisible spell of his ki burst into bright white light, spinning unnatural shadows off into the darkness around them. He reinforced his grip on her and in the blink of an eye they were flying over the trees.

To be honest, as they soared under the stars, and towards whatever place Vegeta had decided to kidnap her, Bulma felt a little disappointed by the manner in which he held her. It wasn't delicate, as a fairytale book would deem proper for a lady to be swept off her feet, but a little clumsy and just a touch too painful to be enjoyed properly. She could feel gravity exerting itself on her ribs as his wrist dug into her soft stomach.

"Vegeta," she winced, using her hands to push down on his arm and alleviate the pressure. "I hope this isn't going to be a long flight. I might just puke."

Vegeta didn't slow. He didn't so much as acknowledge her protest. He carried on his course with the same resolute and scowled expression he held during the day. Why was it that he could relax when she couldn't see him, but now they were above the shadows of the gorge he would hide himself from her again? It wasn't as infuriating as it was… disappointing.

Bulma couldn't tell how long they'd been flying - maybe only a few minutes, perhaps longer but the burning in her ribs was getting quite painful now. Oblivious, Vegeta banked around a mountain, putting extra pressure on her midriff and she couldn't quite hide it from the Saiyan.

She whimpered.

The small noise managed to make more impact than her words. Vegeta's concentration drifted from flying and his eyes slanted as they met with hers. He curled his lip but duly reduced his speed. She felt her feet brush the treetops as they slowly descended, finally touching down in a small clearing between two towering mountains.

As soon as he let her, Bulma stepped away. She didn't want to appear rude or pissed off, but her stomach needed to be free for a moment. Trying desperately to breathe evenly and clutching her side, she took a good look around. They were still in the forest. Momiji circled the clearing and she could hear the wind rushing through the undergrowth nearby. There was mountainous rock all around, but it wasn't devoid of majesty as it rose as far as the eye could see - two black outlines jutting up to the heavens, smattered with snow and sparkling under the glow of a crescent moon.

"Are you injured?" Vegeta asked, but not in way that denoted concern. To Bulma's horror his words managed to make her feel ashamed at being so weak.

She shook her head. "It might bruise tomorrow, but hey!" She smiled. "That's tomorrow, right? I'm sure we can find plenty of stuff to do before then."

He smirked. "Well I certainly didn't waste my time abducting you for idle chitchat."

With the power of the moon to aid her, Bulma could finally see his telltale fire. It pooled in his eyes, smouldering-hot and flaming her way - as though she had managed to open the gates to hell itself and all the sick and twisted desire was pouring out. He was deathly beautiful and she gulped as he advanced. There should be a law prohibiting the way one look managed to make her insides quiver, and the heat to explode between her thighs.

Her voice would squeak, she knew this, but she wasn't in the mood to abandon her usual banter. "And here I was hoping for a quiet heart to heart under the stars." She winked. "Why? What did you have in mind?"

"Silencing that lying tongue of yours."

"Mmmm!" she moaned, as deep and as throatily as she could. "How exactly?"

"I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about ripping it out."

"Wouldn't that be a waste?" she said, running a finger down his chest. Her free hand un-tucked his shirt and pulled it over his head.

"Really?" He took the material from her hands and threw it away, as she grabbed the loops of his trousers, pulling his unresisting groin to hers. "I thought I would be doing the universe a favour."

Bulma leaned towards him, her mouth inches from his as she ran her tongue along her bottom lip. His words had actually made her mouth dry, but not because she was afraid. The bulge she felt pressing against her stomach, belied every word he said. How come insults from this monkey sounded like poetry?

"And how about favours to you?" she whispered, deliberately making her voice husky. "Do you want to deny yourself the pleasure my tongue can give you?"

"Then perhaps," he croaked, as a shiver ran through his body. "I will let you keep it - for now."

"Oh believe me, Vegeta." She sunk to her knees. Her face was no more than an inch away from his crotch and she leaned forward to lick the fabric that separated her from his throbbing flesh. "After I've finished, you will never think about getting rid of it again."

She was deadly serious as well. Vegeta wasn't the type for conversation. The only thing he understood was action, and the only definite way she had of making sure their relations didn't end this night, was to leave him begging for more.

Lifting her eyes she looked up at him through thick and lust-laden lashes, undoing the buttons of his fly, and knowing that he didn't bother with underwear, awaited her prize. She wasn't disappointed. It was as beautiful as the man himself. Her slim fingers slid under the waist of his trousers, slipping them over his muscled thighs and down his shins. Vegeta did the rest - kicking them over his feet and away. He stood tall before her. His large, powerful hands were bunched in her hair and he arched his back, pushing his hips forward, wordlessly inviting her to give him the pleasure that she'd promised.

Bulma wasn't going to be rushed though. She started with his thighs. Her tongue darted out from her mouth and roamed lazily over his bronzed and hairless skin. He tasted sweet, like a sugar-coated treat just for her, a deadly cocktail of intoxication that ignited her brain into recognition of Vegeta. It set her body on fire. She could hear him softly growling above her, as though he were unhappy about her teasing, but the way his leg muscles flexed and bowed under her tongue told a different story. It didn't phase Bulma one bit. By nature he was impatient and she would teach him that in this instance, patience really was a virtue worth having.

Her tongue lapped a path up and around his arousal, settling over his stomach muscles. Indeed, everywhere she explored was the same twitching mass of muscle that told the story of the man and his endless quest for physical superiority. Her quest began and try as she might she couldn't find one place on his entire body that didn't ripple when she ran her tongue over it, even the places where theoretically there should be no muscle. She had covered every part of his body, from the knees upwards, except one, and she doubted that even on a normal man there would be anything but muscle there.

Looking up at Vegeta she smiled at her handiwork. His skin sparkled under the light of the stars and shivered into goosebumps under the wet trail she had left. What was more outstanding was how his size had swelled in reaction to it and Bulma was somewhat surprised at his acceptance of her foreplay. The low growl of warning had soon quietened under her exploration and although no other noise had left his lips since then his hands had continued to flex and fist in a manner that denoted he was controlling his emotions through them. In their previous encounters he had tried to rush the situation and dictate it to satisfy his urges, but there had been no coercion this time.

His eyes were closed, but there was an air of expectation and curiosity in the way he inclined his head to the side. He wasn't watching her, but rather she could feel his power around her, as though he were following her actions through a sense beyond touch. Only when she stopped did he crack an eye open and lift an eyebrow, silently demanding an explanation.

"I remember asking once," she said, her mouth less than an inch away from his erection. "If I could study your physiology." She grinned, letting her tongue dart out to lick up his entire length. "Looks like I got my chance."

He hissed above her as his body reacted beautifully to her touch. "And what are your findings?" he asked, his voice a little unsteady.

"My findings?" she cooed. "Well I still think it's a little too early in my investigation to determine anything for certain."

He chuckled. "Are you going to write a thesis on it?"

"Maybe I will," she said shrugging her shoulders. "But that'll mean carrying out more extensive tests in the future."

Bulma had tried to sound casual as she said this, but her heart was racing and she was sure Vegeta would pick up on this. She wasn't wrong. He looked haughtily down at her with a deep frown on his lips. "Future?" he snapped, a sudden twinge of anger creeping into his voice. "What future? I will be leaving in the morning."

Her gaze fell to the floor. A thick carpet of moss and grass lined the ground and she found a stray blade, curling it nervously through her fingers.

Vegeta's shadow fell over her, threatening and cold as he took a step forward. "Explain yourself!"

"I…" She sighed, turning away and standing, knowing that there would be no continuation until she answered. "I know you're leaving, but I also know you're coming back. I don't think I'm being stupid or emotional or anything else that I know repulses you, but this arrangement between us. This wonderful little sexual thing we've got - even though I don't know what it means, you know, even if it means anything, but what I guess I'm trying to say is that I don't want it to end just yet. I'm enjoying it too much."

"And you're asking me what? To say that I want to continue fucking you when I get back?"

The mocking way he spoke didn't help Bulma's agitation any, but that he hadn't outright said that it was a ridiculous idea, gave her the courage to face him.

The wind whipped around her shoulders, flinging her hair across her face in a wild frenzy. "That's precisely what I'm asking," she said, fine strands of hair catching on her lips as she spoke. "I know you won't lie to me about it. I think it's only fair that I should know if you intend to pick up where we leave off when you get back, or whether this is goodbye for good."

"And would it likewise be fair if I were to say 'yes' when I have no idea what the future holds?" he asked. "I told you before that I only know two things, that I will reach Super Saiyan and I will defeat those androids the kid from the future told us about. Beyond that I have no firm plans. Perhaps I will take on Kakarrot, or maybe I'll leave to find my destiny another way. There are no certainties in the life of a warrior. To think otherwise would be foolish."

There was resoluteness in his voice, and the more Bulma studied his countenance, the more she could see that he was one hundred percent serious in his claims. Her shoulders sagged and a little portion of her chest, which might well have some connection to her heart, clenched under the power of his stare.

"Well, I'm not going to defend myself. I know who and what you are, but I think I'm actually going to miss this… perhaps - god forbid - you as well." The longer Vegeta glared the more confidence Bulma felt. True, he hadn't said 'yes' but he hadn't flat out said 'no' either. She fluffed her hair and lifted her chin, levelling her face to glare back at him. "Do you think you'll miss fucking me?"

He chuckled and placed his hands on his bare hips, his arousal still evident. "Perhaps," he admitted. "Talented and exotic sluts are hard to come by in the universe."

"Oh?" she shifted her weight, tilting her hips seductively to the side. "I thought you said you have - what was the term you used? Coupled, with lots of women?"

"I have, but most of those I have met have had other motives for sleeping with me. Some for my power, some for their lives, others have tried to assassinate me mid-throes."

"And you don't think I have other motives?"

"Quite the contrary I assure you. I can see that you would have a huge incentive to try and trick me into placidity. After all, being as weak as you are, your very existence might eventually depend on it."

"So you think I'm doing this just to save my own life?" she snapped, angry at the insinuation.

His eyes narrowed, countering her anger with suspicion. "I'm saying it's a distinct possibility. I trust no one."

The anger was full blooded now, boiling hot through her veins and burning her cheeks with indignation. "Then maybe you should take me back. It's obvious we've both made a huge mistake and I for one am ready to nip it in the bud before it gets out of hand."

His suspicious glare was gone, instead anger flashed against the backdrop of his eyes. Was it directed at her? She couldn't tell. What she did know for certain was that he was approaching her quickly and under the spell of emotion strong enough for her to see clearly on his usually shut off features. With steep mountains all around, there was no means for escape. She was completely alone. Her friends were sound asleep miles away and she didn't even have any capsules to help her should she need to make a quick exit.

His hand reached out trapping her chin and forcing her to look at him as power manifested itself around them both. "If I'm wrong, then prove it. Tell me that you're not out for your own personal gain, but remember that I can detect deceit in your species extremely easily."

"Then I won't deny that I've used other means to make your stay here on Earth as pleasant as possible. The freedom of my house, the use of my father's technology - your gravity machine for example, but I am not a whore. From the moment you first stayed here, I was intrigued by you. I wanted to get to know you better, not because I felt an obligation to, but because I wanted to. Yamcha thought I was mad - and probably still does. The sex is fun, and I'm sure I would have gone insane recently if you hadn't been around to give me the odd dose of excitement now and then. I may be a rich and beautiful woman,"---he snorted at this--- "but I'm also a hopeless adrenaline junkie. I like adventure. I like being out in the word and taking risks. Sitting in a stuffy office all day is not my idea of fun. Have I been using you? Okay, perhaps I have, but not because I was scared, or because I was plotting your downfall. I needed it. So you can sit there and judge me all you like, but it won't change the truth. I like you, Vegeta. I like you a lot, and I certainly wouldn't have slept with you if I didn't."

His eyes bored into hers, his grip around her chin lifting her onto tips toes, as he studied her features. The wind was really quite strong now, bombarding them both and making not just the air around them, but also Bulma's hair and clothes, swirl and strain in an attempt to follow the same path. His thumb moved once pointedly up and down her jaw line and then he threw his hand away, snapping her head forcefully to the side. She stumbled but managed to keep her balance as he distanced himself away from her, showing her nothing more than his muscled back.

"Honest, talented sluts are even rarer," he snarled, looking back at her over his shoulder. "But in the long run it makes no difference to me. I have no use for you beyond the carnal. If you want me to fuck you tonight then let's fuck. If you don't, then I'll take you back. It's your decision."

"What the…!" She gritted her teeth together, seething under his words. Oh boy! Had she ever made a big mistake! Yes, she had reasoned he was using her and yes, she had never been fooled about his intentions regarding either her or the fate of her planet, but not once had his words managed to make her feel so abused and ashamed for being with him. It stung. She clutched her chest. His words had hurt her. Could it be that she had been wrong? That she hadn't wanted him to continue because she enjoyed the sex, but because she cared about him, more than if they had just been friends?

Betrayal.

It was as though her feelings had been betrayed, but it wasn't Vegeta that had betrayed them. It was her own. She was the one who had been blinded. He had told her at every single turn what she could expect from him. Never once had he lied, had he said that he wanted an emotional connection with her, and never once had his mains goals altered because of the attention she had given him. She had deluded herself into caring for him when she knew there was no hope of gaining a return.

"Uuuuugh!"

The scream echoed and rebounded off the mountains, as she put all her anger and frustration behind it. To her amazement she felt her eyes prickling, warning her of impending tears. No. She wouldn't do that, she wouldn't cry because of him. He might have wounded her, but it wasn't his fault. The fault was all her own, and from this minute she would shut him off from her emotions. She would not let him see any more. She wouldn't let him see that she was suffering.

Lifting her head defiantly, she tucked her windswept hair behind her ears and strode resolutely past him. Yamcha had been right after all. She needed to have more fun in her life. Sex with Vegeta had been fun, but this - this situation - the way her heart was thumping and emotion surging in all directions, this wasn't fun. She needed to get away.

"Get your clothes," she said, not even looking in his direction. "It was fun, but I don't feel very horny any more. Thank you for saying goodbye. I appreciate it, but if you don't mind. I think its time I go back to my friends now."

Vegeta didn't answer, and Bulma refused to face him. She couldn't assure herself of continuing the ruse if she did. A few minutes later and he was right behind her. He grabbed her around the waist in the same clumsy manner he did before.

"It's a shame," he whispered in her ear as they flew back to the gorge. "But as you wish, Human."

This time he didn't even try to mask his power, dipping into the gorge down stream and flying along the course of the river. When he reached the campsite he barely even slowed, and certainly didn't deposit her in the gentle way he had done earlier. In a flash of power, he was gone, and not even a light trail remained to give her eyes his direction. She was alone once again. Her friends hadn't even sensed his hasty arrival and retreat. She could even hear Oolong's snores over the noise of the river. He was gone.

She sighed, collapsing to her knees as all the strength in her body vanished.

He was gone.

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A/N - Sorry this chapter took a while. The kids have been on school holidays, so I haven't had the time or quiet to write. I hope you liked this chapter nonetheless.

As usual a huge thank you to LisaB for beta-ing. Now, if you haven't already, go read her fanfics! I promise you, you won't be disappointed.