Chapter Text
"My my, what do we have here?”
Searing pain.
“A fallen prince."
Blood pooling.
"...it looks like I finally
shut
you
up."
Choking.
Drowning.
“A fallen prince.”
Can't breathe.
“A fallen prince.”
Can't breathe.
“A fallen prince.”
Can't breathe.
Raucous laughter all around.
Can't breathe!
Vegeta jolted upright, gasping and coughing. Vicious creatures lunged at him from the shadows, and horrible, cold laughter rang in his ears.
Something touched him, making a defensive sizzle of ki spring to life.
“Whoa, okay. Easy, sweetheart,” said Vicki, her voice husky with sleep.
Vegeta scrambled away, only to find himself tangled in the bedclothes. “Get away from me!”
"I will. It's okay. You're safe, Vegeta."
His heart pounded in his throat, and shame started to flood through his body. He fought to get his legs free.
“You don’t have to run,” she said softly.
He finally kicked loose and lurched to his feet. Adrenaline shakes were starting to cascade over his body, and there was a dull pain behind his eyes. "Just get out!"
Vicki sat up, but didn’t follow. “Do you really want me to leave?”
“Yes!” he shouted.
She took a moment to rub her eyes, then nodded and said through a yawn, “Okay. Help me find my clothes, would you?”
Reality kicked in, driving home how irrationally he was acting, but his pride wouldn’t let him relent. In two quick moves, he had her shirt and panties in hand and tossed to the bed.
“Can I hug you before I go?” she asked softly as she finished dressing.
Vegeta gave a sharp nod. “Fine.” Like he was doing her a favour rather than giving himself a chance to sink into her soft warmth for one last moment.
Vicki wrapped around him and squeezed lightly, scraping her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck. A purr longed to pull free of his chest, but he clamped down on it. He didn’t deserve that comfort.
She sighed softly as she released him. “I hope the rest of your sleep is better, Vegeta.”
And then she was out the door and headed across the hall. And he stood there, frozen in place. Hating himself. Hating this planet. Hating everything.
***
Vicki woke before sunrise with a mild hangover, stiff hips, and aching shoulders. How much was from the trial of replacing that damn water heater and how much was from Vegeta was hard to say.
Her stomach tightened at the memory of their night together, and how utterly relaxed he was when he dropped to sleep. It broke her heart that it hadn’t lasted much more than an hour. He'd woken her with mostly incomprehensible mumbling, but one word had been crystal clear.
Whoever or whatever a 'freeza' was, they or it deserved to go straight to hell.
Vicki pinched her brow and heaved out a long breath. How could she respond in the aftermath of being booted out of his room that wouldn't result in him taking off to Alpha Centauri? Vegeta was so standoffish and prickly most of the time that she wasn’t sure what to say or do to help smooth things over, if there even was a right thing to say.
If she even got a chance to talk to him. The alien would probably avoid her like the plague, if past behaviour was any indication.
At any rate, lazing in bed wasn’t going to solve anything, so she rolled out of bed and groaned as more muscles and joints protested. Yesterday really had been overkill.
Getting to the washroom took Herculean effort, but by the time she showered and got dressed, everything had faded to a dull roar. She threw her wet hair into a haphazard bun and made her way toward the main kitchen. Aside from Vegeta, the only thing on her mind was coffee, and lots of it.
As the machine hissed and bubbled through the process of making coffee, Vicki’s stomach started to complain. Probably because her last solid meal was yesterday’s breakfast.
She poked through the fridge and pulled out a container of strawberries, milk, eggs, butter, and yogurt. Before continuing her hunt for ingredients, she snagged a couple larger strawberries and stuffed them in her face to quell the immediate need for food.
Vegeta rounded the corner into the kitchen unexpectedly, making her jump, and swallow too soon. His dour face turned to alarm as she coughed and choked on half a mouthful of berry.
“Are you alright?”
Vicki nodded as she hacked up a lung, her eyes watering from the sting in her throat. “Wrong tube,” she rasped when the coughing eased.
His brows pinched tight. “You should be more careful.”
She gave him a wry look. “Thanks for the advice. Coffee?”
Vegeta’s dark eyes were impossible to read at the best of times, and now he was even more inscrutable, considering he would hardly make eye contact with her. She decided to ignore his awkwardness and poured them both a cup of coffee. He took his without comment.
“I was about to make pancakes. Wait…do you know what pancakes are?”
He took a sip of his coffee, then looked somewhat thoughtful. “Round things with…syrup?”
Vicki nodded. “Do you want some?”
Vegeta looked far too serious for such an early time of day. “Yes. Thank you.”
“Great.” She started digging through the pantry for flour and baking powder. “You know, if you want, I can show you how to make them. Then you can make them for yourself whenever you feel like it.”
When she turned around, he was staring at her with a strangely shy look on hi face. “I…have never…”
Her cheeks warmed as she recalled the same confession from the night before. She dared a soft quip. “Well, I have it on pretty good authority that you’re a fast learner.”
Vegeta’s face went scarlet, but he didn’t scurry away or look entirely scandalized. “Alright. Fine. Show me.”
***
Vegeta followed Vicki’s instructions exactly. He pretended it was a matter of practicality to learn how to cook, but his inner voice teased him mercilessly for taking the excuse to spend more time with the Earth woman.
After his disgraceful blow-up in the wee hours, he was surprised she would say a word to him. To his confusion, she was perfectly normal, and hadn’t poked fun at his weakness or made any snide remarks. He kept waiting for the sting of a sharp rebuke, but none came.
At any rate, he was in the thick of it now, and the same pride that saw her expelled from his room would not let him retreat. So he measured out different powders, and stirred them as directed.
Then came the eggs.
Vegeta stared at the oozing egg and broken shell coating his hand.
Vicki barked a laugh and handed him a paper towel. His face burned with humility and rising anger. How was he supposed to know how fragile a fucking egg was? Maybe she should have warned him. He clenched his jaw and scrubbed the muck away.
She finished wiping the broken egg from the counter, and set a fresh one in front of him. “Okay, Muscles. Let’s try that again, only a little softer.”
And just like that, all the anger deflated. He picked it up, and tried again. This attempt was far too soft to crack the egg, but with progressive force, he managed to just crack the shell rather than explode the whole thing.
Vicki smiled broadly and patted him on the back as he carefully emptied the egg into the bowl. “I knew you could do it.”
He scoffed, but didn’t quite manage to quash a pleased smile. “It wasn’t that hard.”
The rest of the process was easy in comparison. He didn’t even burn his tester pancake, which Vicki said she always managed to do, somehow. The first bite of food he’d made with his own hands tasted good . Delight burned hot and bright in his chest as Vicki ate the other half, and made a satisfied little sound.
“Perfection,” she said, and he could have flown to the moon and back on that ego boost.
Of course, once they sat down to eat, old habits reared up, and he started to bolt each pancake in big bites and quick swallows, chasing that sated feeling before anyone could take his plate away. Vicki reached toward the platter of pancakes, and he barely kept himself from snarling and snatching it closer.
Vicki seemed oblivious, even though he was sure his face went red from embarrassment. Why couldn’t he just remain stoic in her presence?
He was working on a fifth plateful when she finished her last pancake and sat back in her chair. “You really did a great job, V.”
He could feel his chest puff up at the compliment. “Is all cooking that easy?”
She shrugged. “Some stuff is harder, but there are lots of easy things you can make. I’ll show you some techniques.”
Vegeta nodded. “That would be…pleasant.”
Vicki smiled. “Agreed.”
When he finally finished eating, she stood and started to clear the table. Vegeta almost got up and walked away, but decided to see what the cleaning process was. For educational purposes, of course.
She turned on a faucet and added a blue coloured liquid soap to the water. It started to foam up. “Hey, I have an idea,” she said. “If you’re interested.”
Curiosity bloomed in his belly. “I’m listening.”
“I don’t have to work today, so I thought I’d maybe go out to the mountains.”
“I see.”
Vicki dipped the plates into the foamy water. “You could come with me.”
He frowned. “I have to work out.”
She turned and leaned her hip against the counter. “This is exercise, too. Probably not nearly as hardcore as your usual stuff, but it has to be painfully boring to be stuck in that room all day, every day.”
Vegeta almost laughed. “I don’t get bored. I’m working out.”
Vicki put a palm against the centre of his chest. He tried to ignore the way his body automatically wanted to press closer and fire up with a purr.
She batted her pretty eyelashes. “C’mon, V. It’ll do your head some good to get out of the box for a day. And it’s a pretty challenging hike, so you’ll still be getting some exercise.”
Vegeta’s brow furrowed. “What is a hike?”
***
After several more protests that grew more and more half-hearted, Vegeta allowed himself to be convinced to go on this ‘glorified walk in the woods’. Vicki’s words, not his.
If he was being honest, her lack of any real reaction to his appalling behaviour the night before had him entirely off-balance. He wasn’t entirely sure what he expected, but it certainly wasn’t her teaching him how to cook pancakes and offering to take him away from the compound.
Nor did he expect himself to be so amenable to her. Vegeta had plans. Big plans that did not include an Earthling woman with pillow soft lips and hair that he wanted to wrap himself in for the rest of his days.
He forced his thoughts elsewhere. This was a temporary distraction, only for the day. It meant nothing, and he would not let himself be persuaded to continue anything other than their cordial relationship. Even if her smile made him feel…things.
Vicki climbed into her truck, and he followed.
“Just need to swing by my place so I can change into something a little more suitable for the mountains,” she said as she reversed the truck and started to maneuver through the parking lot.
He shrugged. “I’m at your mercy.”
She smiled. "Now there's a dangerous statement."
The drive over was largely quiet, other than her occasional singing along to the confounded music on the stereo. Vegeta still couldn't quite believe how much time and effort the humans wasted on something so frivolous. Didn't they have anything better to do with their time?
She turned into the parking area beside a tall brick building. Vegeta couldn't contain his curiosity and stared up the side of the large structure.
"You coming?" asked Vicki as she opened her door.
“Am I invited?”
She nodded. “Sure. You can see how the other half lives.”
“What does that mean?”
Vicki headed toward a glass door in the middle of the building. “You’ve been living at the compound of one of the richest families on the entire planet. It’s not exactly representative of how most humans live.”
The building was even more fascinating on the inside. Long hallways were lined with brown doors, and a patterned carpet was underfoot. A musty odor invaded his nostrils, and he could see dust clinging to any flat surface they passed. There wasn’t an elevator, so they had to climb four flights of stairs.
Vegeta found himself momentarily distracted by the sight of Vicki’s ass, almost at perfect eye level as she danced lightly up the stairs. Before his mind could drag him somewhere untoward, she turned a corner, and approached a door labeled ‘402’.
Inside the apartment was larger than he expected, given her description of it as a “shoebox”. It smelled much fresher and looked cleaner than the rest of the building, which wasn't surprising when he considered her immaculate office, or the tidy way she worked.
His attention was immediately caught by framed pictures on the walls. Everywhere. Vegeta was drawn to them immediately. The most prominent was a picture of Vicki in a bright white uniform, standing in front of a huge ship.
“My first post,” she said, pointing to the ship. “The Constant. 2000 sailors.”
“Is that a lot?”
She nodded. “Almost as big as a ship gets, these days. It also carried aircraft for the air force.”
Vegeta moved to the next picture, which was her in the same uniform, and surrounded by three other people. Two were clearly her parents, and the third was almost a perfect copy of her, only male. All four looked very serious, especially her father.
“My parents, James and Marilyn. And my twin brother, Dominic.”
He made a disbelieving sound and looked closer. “There are two of you?”
Vicki smirked. “Yes.”
“Your poor parents.”
She gave his shoulder a friendly shove. “Hilarious. I’m going to change. Make yourself at home.”
Vegeta had no idea what ‘make yourself at home’ meant, so he stayed exactly where he was, first staring at the pictures on the wall, then looking over items arranged on a small shelving unit. Some were silly junk, like a little statuette of a four-legged creature, but he spotted a small frame filled with impressive looking medals, and a military-styled patch.
“Lieutenant Commander,” said Vicki, almost directly in his ear, making him jump, just a little. “My last rank.”
“It sounds impressive.”
“Depends on your perspective, I suppose.” She moved into the kitchen area, where she began packing things into a small backpack. “What kind of snacks do you like?”
“What are snacks?”
Her brow pinched. “Uh…it’s like a little tiny meal between meals.”
The thought of eating outside of designated mealtimes was too decadent. Vegeta huffed dismissively. “That’s ridiculous.”
“You’d think a growing boy like you would hop right on the snack train.”
“I eat at mealtimes.”
“Yeah, like a starved beast.”
His face went hot. “Do not,” he protested feebly.
“Do too. Because your poor body needs more calories. So make with the snacking.”
Vegeta frowned at the impudent woman. “Or else what?”
“Or else I’ll be sad.” Vicki screwed up her face in an exaggerated frown. “You don’t want me to be sad, do you?”
“I don’t particularly care one way or the other,” he lied.
Vicki made a scornful noise and pulled a few packages out of her cupboards. “I have trail mix, some fruit, some chips, and some chocolate. Plus a few bottles of water. Anything else you want?”
He sneered. “Why not throw in some sort of roasted animal while you're at it?”
She tossed him an apple and zipped the backpack shut. “Tell you what. You try snacking between meals for a few days. I bet you find your workouts way more productive.”
Vegeta had no intention to get used to the luxury of snacking, but found himself bringing the apple to his mouth anyway. Blasted earth woman.
***
Vicki's brain was a jumble of unwelcome thoughts, all centering on the way Vegeta looked when charging into her room to save her from the spider. She could picture the beads of water sparkling on his bare chest, and how they drifted slowly down the wickedly defined lines and ridges of his abs before disappearing beneath the towel. The man was a work of art. It was a miracle that she’d been at all coherent the first time she opened her mouth, and didn’t just point and drool like a goddamned idiot.
Vicki considered herself to have a normal libido. There were dry spells here and there, but she didn’t have any issues finding a partner if she wanted one. This new, rampant desire for the most infuriating person she’d ever met in her entire life was throwing her completely for a loop.
Why Vegeta, of all people? What made him so enticing? It wasn’t just his face or body, because she could go to her own gym and pick up a pretty muscle head anytime she wanted. And it definitely wasn’t his warm personality, unless she had become a masochist when she wasn’t paying attention.
She rubbed her forehead and tried to banish the memories of how warm his skin felt under her palms, or how he pinned her to the bed with no effort.
“Are you done?”
She jolted out of her thoughts in time to see Vegeta pop the core of the apple into his mouth.
Vicki winced. “You don't have to eat that part.”
He swallowed. “Why not? Tastes the same.”
She shrugged. “Just…because. Never mind. Let's go.”
Vicki went to heft the backpack, only for Vegeta to snag it away and throw it over his own shoulders.
“Thanks, V,” she said, patting his arm.
His cheeks went pink. “Shut up.”
Traffic was light as they cruised towards the outskirts of the city. At the last light, her phone began to ring through the truck speakers. ‘Home’ flashed on the screen. She winced and shot Vegeta an apologetic look. “I have to take this.”
He shrugged, his gaze locked out the passenger window.
She pushed the button to connect the call. “Hey, everything okay?”
To her unpleasant surprise, her mother spoke. “The appropriate greeting on the telephone is 'hello', Victoria."
A pit opened in her stomach. Of all the days for her to be somewhat intelligible, why did it have to be the one with the Saiyan listening in? "Uh, sorry mother. How are you?"
"Never mind that. Victoria, why aren’t you at home? You need to be studying for finals.”
Vicki felt her entire body cringe, and avoided looking anywhere near her passenger as she played into her mother’s delusion. “I know, I know. School is important. I’ll only be out for a little while.”
“You’d better be home before I head into work, young lady.”
“I will be. Hey, is Dom home?”
“Dominic is already studying, the way you should be.”
She rolled her eyes. “I have a question from math class. Put him on, would you?”
There was some shuffling, then her brother came on the line. “Yeah,” he said, clearly talking with his mouth full of some kind of food.
“She's having quite a lucid morning, isn't she?”
He scoffed. “Yeah, she won’t shut up.”
Vicki bit back a rebuke. “Okay, well make sure she’s got her tracker on. She’s probably going to try and leave at some point.”
There was a long, exasperated sigh. “I know how to take care of her, Vic.”
Anger started to sizzle at the base of her spine. “So that’s why you had to call me at midnight last week when she wandered off?”
“Could you just give me a fuckin’ break? I didn’t mean to forget the tracker.”
“Or the deadbolts, right?” She gripped the steering wheel harder and fought to control her temper. “Instead of arguing with me, please just go make sure she has the tracker on--”
“Fine! Fuck!”
The call went dead. Vicki stared straight ahead, struggling to control her breathing, and fend off the tears of fury that burned the back of her eyeballs.
Vegeta cleared his throat. “You…uh…you okay?”
“Oh yeah. Everything’s just peachy keen over here.” She gave a bitter laugh.
There was a long moment of silence, then a tentative, “So…”
Vicki finally braved a look his way, and found a worried crease between his eyebrows. She sighed and faced forward again. “Do you know what Alzheimer’s disease is?”
After a moment, he shook his head. “No."
“Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills. My mother's case is fairly advanced, so she's usually incoherent and in her own little world. But sometimes she comes back to a delusional reality, where she seems pretty lucid, except that she usually thinks and acts as though things are fifteen years ago. Hence her treating me like a school kid."
"I see."
"I know that whole conversation was probably weird to you. The doctors say that unless her delusion is harmful, playing along when she's in that kind of state is kinder than trying to remind her of the truth." She swallowed hard. "Of course, it's gutting for me, but if it makes things easier for her, I'll pretend to be fifteen again."
“And Dominic is at home with her?”
She nodded. “He’s acting as her caregiver. Not by my choice, but whatever.”
Vegeta shifted so he was facing her more fully. “Shouldn’t she be with her family?”
Vicki gnawed at her lower lip. “You’d think that, wouldn’t you? Except that she wanders and gets lost, and no matter what I do to prevent it, he still manages to fuck up in one way or another, and then it’s another frantic hunt.”
"Where is your father in all this?"
The anger started to burn again. "You know, that is just such an excellent question."
There was a mile of silence before he said softly, "He ran off to Japan and left his children to care for his ailing wife?"
Vicki tapped the side of her nose. "You're pretty good at this game."
Vegeta scowled. "What a coward."
She very nearly flinched. No one spoke ill of her father. Ambassador James Trinity was very careful to control his public image, especially when it came to the perception of being the perfect family man. Hearing Vegeta echo her private thoughts, and with such certainty, was gratifying in a way she didn’t anticipate.
Silence fell again, and guilt started to creep in. "I'm sorry," she muttered. "I didn’t mean to drag you into my whole family soap opera."
He tilted his head. “What is a soap opera?”
***
The scenery as they left the city improved dramatically. On the driver's side was an endless view of the sea. On Vegeta’s side, beautifully green trees lined the road, backdropped by imposing mountains. Vicki had rolled down her window and he copied her, letting in air heavily scented by pine. It combed steadily through his hair, which was more pleasant than he expected it might be.
As a rule, Frieza didn’t leave his warriors on any planet's surface for very long. Didn’t want them to get too comfortable on solid ground. Usually they were there to kick some ass, and try to force the planet’s inhabitants to be agreeable subjects of their new overlord. And if the inhabitants decided to fight back, then the planet was destroyed, no questions asked. He’d hated every last one of those missions, which he suspected was part of why he was always tasked with them.
A bitter taste rose in the back of his throat. His hatred of Frieza for destroying his planet had never abated, and now he’d never have the chance at payback. It would be a lingering thorn in his side, no matter how powerful he became. No amount of wishing or fighting or training would make it fade away.
Soft humming in the driver’s seat distracted him from his dark ruminations. It had taken some time after the phone call, but Vicki finally relaxed behind the wheel, and was now humming to the song playing on the radio. Some sappy shit about love and heartache. Seemed to him that the majority of music on this planet revolved around such nonsense.
His eyes moved to the hand she had out of the window, coasting on the air rushing past the truck. As he watched, she curved her fingers here and there, letting the hand kite higher and lower. It was hypnotic, and made him long to go for a flight himself. Maybe she would come with him.
Vegeta cut that treacherous thought short. His involvement with her already bested his self control. Especially when she left her hair down, and the silken strands floated on the breeze.
He shouldn't have agreed to this trip.
The conversation with her family replayed in his head, and the helpless rage he’d felt emanating from her. Vegeta had the insane desire to make it better, to ease some of that crushing burden for her. Why the hell did he care at all? Her life wasn’t his concern. And yet, it lingered in the back of his mind like an unwanted intruder.
Even less welcome were the replays of her kneeling at his feet and worshipping his cock. Or laying on her back, her incredible pussy clenching rhythmically as he made her come again, and again. His name on her perfect lips.
Vicki still hadn't brought up her unceremonious dismissal, or his foolish nightmare. Neither had he. What was there to say, after all?
At least she didn't seem angry or put out that he hadn't been a very gracious host. Not that it mattered. His brain was doing a bang-up job berating him for making himself look weak and foolish in front of her, yet again.
She turned onto a road that headed directly into the mountains. A sign announced they were in 'bear country' and directed visitors not to feed any wildlife.
"What is a bear?" he asked.
Vicki gave him a weird look, then smiled. "Alien. Right."
He had no idea how to react to that statement.
She continued, "Bears are one of Earth's apex predators. Four legged, mammalian, omnivorous, and highly territorial. They'll be wandering with their babies this time of year, which makes them extra dangerous."
"Will we see one?"
"If we're lucky, no."
Vegeta frowned. "They sound interesting. I would like to see one."
"I'll show you a video. It's a hell of a lot safer."
He scoffed. Safer. More like boring.
A parked vehicle came into sight as they rounded the curve. Vicki slowed to a stop beside it. An older man sat behind the wheel, wearing a tan uniform and cap that announced him as a park ranger.
He spoke with a lazy drawl. "Ms. Trinity, how are you?"
"Hey, Howard. I'm good. How are things today?"
Of course she knows him.
Howard hooked a thumb over his shoulder. "Ol' Bess is on the Lower Falls Trail today. Wouldn't advise going in the area."
Vicki nodded. "She have her babies yet?"
"Not that I've seen, but they gotta be kicking around." He jutted his chin toward Vegeta. "Who's your friend?"
"Oh, this is Vegeta. Vegeta, this is Ranger Howard."
Vegeta gave a stiff nod.
Howard nodded back, then lifted a brow. "What manner o' name is Vegato?" he asked, butchering the pronunciation.
Vicki shot Vegeta a warning look as he sucked in a breath to correct the man. "Uh, he's foreign. From...er...Tajikistan."
"Gotcha." Howard then leaned forward, looking directly at Vegeta, and said even more slowly, and much more loudly, "Wel-come to our coun-try, Veh-jay-toe."
Vicki's eyes fluttered closed. Vegeta found every word caught in his throat as he struggled to maintain a civil tone for Vicki's sake. The only thing he could manage was a strangled, "Thanks."
Before his wounded pride could act out, Vicki interjected, "Okay, we're burning daylight. Have a good one, Howard."
Howard waved and they drove on. About a mile later, Vicki peeked his way. "Howard was trying to be nice."
"He thought I was stupid."
"No, he assumed you didn't speak English."
“Because you said I was from Tajikiki-whatever!”
“Do you want me to go back and tell him you’re an alien from another planet?”
He scowled at the passing trees. “No.”
“Then what should I have said?”
"Whatever. How does saying English words more loudly help if I don't speak it?"
She sighed and rubbed her forehead. "I don't know. Howard's old school, and doesn't understand that it might be offensive to talk to strangers that way."
He huffed. "Do you know someone everywhere you go?"
"Feels like it, these days." Vicki smiled wistfully. "You know, it's kind of a novelty for me. I moved around so much for most of my life, and never really got to be friends with anyone along the way. I'm making up for lost time."
"Why?"
She shrugged. "I dunno. It's nice to go to a place where they know who you are. They treat you differently. I mean, look at Miguel at La Cantina. I don't even have to order anymore. He just knows what I like, and half the time gives me a freebie of some kind. All because I introduced myself and put in a little effort to get to know him. I bet if I took you there today, he'd remember you too, and have them whipping up all your favorites before we even reached the front of the line."
Vegeta frowned. "I only met him once."
"Yeah, but you showed up with me. So that social credit gets extended to you. Plus you ate more of his food in one sitting than I have in six months. I bet he likes you more than he likes me."
"You humans behave strangely."
"You’re one to talk.”
“I beg your pardon?” Vegeta sat straighter. “I behave exactly as a proper Saiyan should.”
"So being a prickly asshole just comes naturally?"
He shot her a dirty look. "Says the control freak."
She barked a laugh. "Touché. Although, to be fair, you didn't know me in my navy days. You'd say I've become downright agreeable in comparison."
"Why did you leave the navy?" The question blurted itself out before he could catch it.
Her lips tightened, but after a moment she said softly, "Lots of reasons, but my mother's illness was the final straw. I wanted to be closer to her before it progressed too far, which I couldn't guarantee if I stayed in."
It was hardly a satisfying answer, but she turned the truck into a large gravel parking lot, distracting him from the non-reply. They climbed out. Vegeta took a look around, noting only two other vehicles in the lot, along with several more warning signs about bears and feeding wildlife.
How many warnings do these idiots need?
He turned back to the truck in time to see Vicki stretching her arms high overhead, baring a swath of skin along her midriff. Some joints popped along her spine, making her give a satisfied groan that kickstarted his imagination. He’d made her make that sound, countless times.
As he tried desperately to stave off the sudden arousal that was hitting him like a freight train, she started digging in the backseat, and muttering to herself as she packed things into a backpack.
"Bear spray, check. Snacks, check. Water, check. Sweater...oh, fuck." She turned to him. "I forgot to grab you a sweater."
He lifted a brow that was already starting to lightly bead with sweat in the morning sun. "It isn't cold."
"Not down here, it isn't. But at the top it will be."
He smirked. "I'm sure I'll live."
"You sure? There's a gift shop not far from here. It'll be a tacky tourist sweater, but--"
"Yeah, pass on that."
She scowled. "Dammit. Now I'm going to worry about it."
Vegeta leaned on the truck. "Why?"
"Because I invited you, and I should have made sure you were fully prepared. What a stupid oversight."
"And you say I'm hard on myself?"
Vicki scoffed. "No, I say you torture yourself. Big difference."
"What's that earth saying? Teapot calling the pan something or other?"
She gave him a mystified look. "What?"
"Never mind," he muttered.
She poked through her pack again, and passed him a small silver bell. "Clip this onto one of your belt loops."
He lifted it to his face and shook lightly. It gave a merry little jingle. "Why?"
Vicki clipped an identical bell to one of the pack straps. "So any bears on the trail hear us coming. We don't want to sneak up on them."
"Speak for yourself."
She gave an exasperated laugh. "I know you want to see one, but trust me. They aren't pleasant when their babies are running around, so it won't be as much fun as you're imagining."
He grumbled to himself and clipped the bell to a belt loop.
Vicki ran through her items one last time, then swung the pack onto her back and adjusted the straps. "Okay, you good to go?"
"Well, I don't have a sweater," he started, only to have her give him a shove that knocked him sideways a step.
"Smart ass. Let's go."
He smirked and fell in behind her.
***
Vicki led them onto one of her favorite trails. Glass Lake Trail started out easily, with a steady, curving rise through old forest, then began to wind up the side of the mountain in steep switchbacks. It was challenging, but incredibly scenic and usually didn't see a lot of traffic, so it was mostly private as well.
Vegeta hiked along quietly, his head in constant motion as he surveyed their surroundings. She couldn't see his eyes through his sunglasses, but she imagined they were on the move just as much.
Vicky found silence in the truck a little awkward due to the confined space, but on the trail, it was almost meditative to stay quiet and let the sounds of nature fill the air instead. The only man-made sound to be heard was the tinkle of their two bear bells. Otherwise it was distant running water, cheerful little birds singing, and the soft hiss of wind through the trees.
It took two hours to reach the first break point at the shore of Glass Lake. By then, her legs had a pleasant burn, and her breath was slightly laboured. Beneath the backpack, her shirt was damp with sweat.
Vegeta, in contrast, looked as though he was strolling casually through an air conditioned mall. He didn't complain about the lack of challenge, but then again, he was good at hiding his feelings. When he chose to.
A small, crystal clear lake, the namesake of the trail, stood at the bottom of a bowl about 100 feet from the trail itself. The waterfall that fed it was muted by the rocks it tumbled over, but the sound of rushing water still sank into her ears and left her feeling almost perfectly zen.
She led Vegeta to the little lake and set her pack on one of the large boulders dotting its shore. "Want a snack?" she asked, her voice feeling strangely intrusive after such an extended silence.
He stood with the water lapping at the toe of his shoes. "No."
She pulled out a zipper bag that contained trail mix, some beef jerky, a couple sliced oranges, and protein bars and rattled the contents in his direction. After a few moments, he made an exasperated noise and snagged one of the oranges.
As they sat in the brighter sunbeam, she noticed that the bruise on the side of his jaw was already starting to yellow on the edges. “You have the metabolism of a champion.”
Vegeta gave her an odd look. “Why would you say that?”
She passed him a bottle of water and pointed to the side of his jaw. “You’re already mostly healed. Still wish you’d be more careful.”
He scoffed. “I’ve had far worse training injuries than that little bruise. Never slowed me down.”
"Were you training with dangerously high levels of gravity at the time?"
There was a long, irritated sigh, then a reluctant, "No."
Vicki took a swig of water. "Then you should play it more safely. Capiche?"
"What does 'capiche' mean?"
"It's Italian, kind of. Means 'do you understand'."
He gave an irritated grunt. "I'm capable of judging my limits just fine, thank you."
She scoffed. "No, you're not. You're just too damn obstinate to stop, even if it’s for your own good."
Vegeta slugged back half a bottle of water. "Am not."
"Thank you for making my point."
He gave another irritated grunt, which she imitated, which made his eyes go narrow and the vein on the side of his head start to bulge.
"Are you mocking me?"
"Yes."
"Stop it."
"No."
He made a strangled sound.
Vicki smirked at him. "Look, someone has to take the starch out of your uniform. Might as well be me."
"Oh, really? And why is that?" Vegeta snarled.
She shrugged and picked away at a handful of trail mix. "Because your blustering doesn't scare me."
"I do not bluster."
"Yeah, you do. I mean, I'm sure you can back it up, given the notion." Vicki dumped the last of the mix into her mouth and said around the mouthful, "But why would you? Awful lot of energy to waste when you can just huff and puff and most people skedaddle."
He held his open water bottle between his lap and his mouth, probably forgotten as she poked direct fun, yet again.
"I didn’t come out here to be harassed," he snapped.
"No, you came because you needed to get away from that compound before you lost your mind."
"Tch. My mind is just fine. And if a certain busy-body minded their own damn business--"
"You done? Or do you want to register more complaints?” Vicki tucked the discarded wrappers, and orange peels into a separate zipper bag.
He hissed a curse and got to his feet. "Let's go."
“Maybe I should buy you a diary so you can record all those negative feelings," she called to his retreating back. “Learn how to deal with them instead of just bottling it all up until you explode.”
***
Vegeta marched behind Vicki in indignant silence, pretending he wasn't stuck on the side of a mountain with the most insufferable person he'd ever met. Goddamn woman was tap-dancing on his last nerve and, so help him, he didn't know what would happen when that nerve wore out.
How dare she openly mock him! He should take off and leave her to this stupid hike by herself. He could easily get back to the compound with enough time to train in the grav-tank for at least a couple hours before--
Vicki stopped short and spun to face him.
"The pot calling the kettle black!"
Vegeta stared at her. "The fuck are you going on about now?"
"I finally figured out what you were trying to say down at the trailhead."
The memory clicked. He pointed with his chin at the trail ahead. "Uh huh. Move it."
She did not move. "On a scale from one to ten, how angry are you right now?"
"Ten," he snapped instantly.
She gave a soft laugh. "You’re gonna give yourself an ulcer, my friend."
Friend? What kind of person deliberately provoked someone they called 'friend'?
As she turned to head up the trail, she suddenly froze in her tracks and held up a hand. "Do you hear that?" she whispered.
He listened, and then heard a slow shuffling step in the woods beside them. Whatever it was, was moving in their direction.
Vicki reached around her side and fumbled with a can in a side pouch. "Get me that can," she hissed when it kept slipping just out of her reach.
He got it out and handed it over. "What is it?"
"Bear spray."
The steps moved closer, suddenly followed by two smaller sets of rushing steps.
She stepped back slowly, the can held in front of her like a weapon, while her other hand guided him to move directly behind her. Vegeta might have found it insulting, but the idea of this tiny woman with no discernable power level defending his safety was amusing more than anything else.
Two small creatures burst into sight twenty feet down the trail. Both were covered in thick blackish-brown fur, and moved with clumsy steps. Seconds later a creature of the same shape, only weighing at least 500 pounds, crashed through the trees. It stopped short and stared at him and Vicki, then rose onto its back legs, easily clearing six feet in height. Wicked claws tipped each paw, and a c-shaped scar marked the creature’s muzzle.
An exhilarating dose of adrenaline thrilled through his veins. This creature deserved every last warning he'd seen, and then some. What magnificence!
Vicki shouted at the creature, "Get outta here, Bess! Take your babies to the river!"
The creature roared and dropped to all fours. It charged forward a few steps, but Vicki held her ground.
"Go on!" She lunged forward a step, swinging her arms wildly like a crazy person. "Get!"
The creature flinched back a step, giving Vicki a wary look. Then one of the babies came toddling forward, and all hesitation left the big one's eyes. It rushed forward with a bellowing roar.
Vicki moved her free hand to the can, but before she could do anything else, Vegeta spun her around, hooked an arm around her waist, and launched them both twenty feet into the sky. She cried out in surprise and dropped the can as she clung to his neck.
The creature below charged through the spot they'd just been, and then looked around in apparent confusion.
Vicki shifted and fussed. "I can't see around your stupid muscles. Are they taking off?"
Vegeta gloated to himself at her 'muscles' comment, and watched the creatures below. The little ones were wrestling, while the big one moved back and forth along the trail, her manner restless. It paused to sniff the fallen can and gave it a half-hearted poke. The metallic scrape made it shy back a step.
"Not yet. So those are bears?"
"Yup," she said, her voice strained. One of her legs wrapped around his. "Uh, how close are any trees?"
He looked. "About fifteen feet away."
"Alright. Should be okay."
"Why? Do they climb trees?"
"Yup." She tightened her grip on his neck. "How long can you stay up here?"
“What do you mean?”
“How long can you stay airborne!”
He frowned. "Until I don't want to be?"
"It doesn't take, like, some special energy that's gonna run out any second?"
A laugh escaped him. "No. Why would you think that?"
"Oh, gee, I don't know. Maybe because I don't know anyone else who can fly?"
"That's not true."
"What?"
"Kakarot can fly. And Krillin. And Kakarot's brat. And most of the Namekians."
"Well la di freakin’ dah," she muttered, adjusting so that she had both arms wrapped more tightly around his neck. “None of them take me on unscheduled flights.”
“You know you don’t need to hang on for dear life, right?”
Her arms didn’t loosen. "They still down there?"
He glanced down. "Moving into the trees. Looks like they're going toward that little lake."
"Oh, thank Christ." Her entire body relaxed, and her death grip around his neck finally loosened.
As she softened, Vegeta suddenly realized just how perfectly her curves molded against his hard planes. It was as though she were custom made, just for him.
His brain tried to go into full damage control mode, but his heart fought back, insisting that he savor the sensation of the woman in his arms as long as possible. It took a serious battle of willpower not to allow himself to turn and bury his face into the halo of hair that had been tempting him from the first day he saw her.
The bears moved painfully slowly through the woods, but when they were finally another hundred feet away, he drifted them back to the ground. Once her feet touched solid earth, Vicki released him and staggered back a step before bending at the waist and sucking a few deep breaths.
"You okay?" He ignored the urge to hug himself in the absence of her warmth in his arms. Stop. Being. Soft.
She nodded. "Just a little freaked out. That was uncomfortably close. Good move with the flyboy act. Saved us a face full of bear spray."
"How did you know it was Bess?"
"Ol' Bess has a distinct c-shaped scar on her snout. Plus she's one of the biggest sows in the area." Vicki straightened and fumbled with returning the can to its pouch. "We're lucky she’s a black bear. A grizzly would have eviscerated the both of us without hesitation.”
"I thought Howard said she was on a different trail."
"She didn't get the memo, I guess."
Vegeta spotted the mother bear's tracks and compared it to his own foot. It wasn’t quite as long as his, but it was a full inch and a half wider. Her claws appeared to extend another few inches.
"So, how did you like your first bear encounter?"
A grin spread across his face. "Bears are awesome."
***
The bear encounter was like a cheat code that unlocked a whole new side of Vegeta. As soon as they returned to their climb, he started to grill her about bears, and everything she knew about them. Vicki did her best to answer his questions, and promised to find answers when she couldn't.
When he finally ran out of questions, she started to talk about other interesting animals in the area. None held his fascination quite so thoroughly, but he was interested all the same. By the time they reached the river crossing just before the final scramble up the mountain, she'd promised to set him up with an entire world of information on animals of any kind.
AKA the internet.
When they reached the edge of the river, Vicki pulled her backpack off and stretched her shoulders.
"I can carry that if you need a break," said Vegeta.
“After we have another snack.” She opened the top zipper and fished out the first bag of snacks plus another bag filled with peanut butter and honey sandwiches that had gotten a little squished in transit.
“Do you ever stop eating?” Vegeta asked.
Vicki smirked and jostled the bag. “You know you want something.”
He rolled his eyes, but grabbed a couple sandwiches and a small packet of beef jerky. Vicki took the remaining orange and a sandwich. They sat on neighboring boulders and ate in companionable silence.
She loved the sounds of the river almost as much as she loved the sounds of the ocean. The piercing cry of an eagle nearby caught her ear. It took a second to spot it on a high cliff ledge, and when she pointed it out to Vegeta, he looked ready to fly off and meet the bird.
The longer they sat, the more the chill of the higher elevation began to settle on her skin. Vicki pulled out her sweater and tugged it over her head. “Are you sure you’re not cold?” she asked.
He scoffed. “Not even a little.”
“Are you lying so I’ll shut up?”
His face twisted into a scowl. “No.”
“Alright, fine.”
Vegeta polished off the rest of the sandwiches with her blessing, and chugged a bottle of water. "How much further?"
"About an hour, maybe a little longer. It's steeper, and there's a lot more skree on the trail. You'll need to be careful you don't step wrong and twist your ankle."
His lips tightened, but he didn't sass her for worrying about his safety again. "Does it usually take this long?"
"Depends on how quick you move. There's a group I meet with about once a month. We jog to the top of whatever trail, and then run back to the bottom. Whoever gets to the bottom first wins a gift card to Frenelli's Pizza. And you are looking at the six-month reigning champion." She made a dumb trophy pose.
His eyes took on an admiring glow. "So why did we walk today?"
"Because it was a long day yesterday, and I wanted to relax," she said. "But, if you want, you can come to…the…" She trailed off.
"The…?"
A strange sadness washed through her belly. "I was going to invite you to our next run, but I guess you'll be in space by then."
There was a painful silence.
"You sound disappointed," he said, finally.
I am. Dammit. I really am. How the hell did this sneak up on me?
She forced a smile. "Guess I've just gotten used to having you around."
Silence fell again, and the roar of the river suddenly felt deafening. Vegeta fidgeted with a flat rock, and stared studiously at his feet.
Vicki cleared her throat. "And on that awkward note, let's get going."
***
Guess I've just gotten used to having you around.
The words played over and over in his head. Vegeta did everything he could, short of flying away at the speed of sound, but the thoughts just would not stop.
In his distraction, he slipped and nearly face planted.
She spun around, deep concern in her voice. "You okay?"
"I'm fine," he rasped.
She nodded and returned to the climb.
Showing any weakness always hoofed him right in the pride, but it was especially gutting when it happened in front of Vicki. He wanted her to see him at his best, not his weakest.
Why do I even care? She can see me how she wants to. I'll be gone in a week!
An unexpected pang of regret twisted into his stomach, which only made his black mood blacker. He wasn’t on Earth to go soft on one of the inhabitants. Hell, being on this gods-forsaken rock wasn’t part of his plans at all. It was only bad luck he’d ended up stuck on its surface. But somehow, despite all of his plans, the little earthling had him rattled.
And he didn't even hate it. That was the worst part! It was maddening that he couldn't convince himself to end the foolish infatuation. Instead, every moment he spent with her only cemented it further.
A long-forgotten memory floated to the surface. He stood next to the throne after his father had a particularly intense public argument with his mother. Far from furious, King Vegeta watched her walk away with an admiring smile. He questioned it, as there wasn't anyone else on Planet Vegeta who spoke to the king with such vitriol and survived.
The words of his father whispered through his head. 'We Saiyan men are drawn to strong women like your mother. It's in our blood.'
Vegeta hadn't really understood what his father was talking about until meeting Vicki. Anyone else spoke to him the way she did? He’d have erased their existence from the universe. But her? The more she ran her mouth, the more she pushed his buttons, the more he wanted.
He glared at her back as she climbed upward, her steps light and graceful despite the loose shale littering the trail. She had no right to get under his skin, yet there she was.
What the hell was he going to do about it?
The trail went even steeper, forcing him to focus on each step. A cold wind started to increase as well, a familiar sensation at such high altitude. As automatic as breathing, his ki shield flowed over his skin to protect against the cold. The end came into sight as they both started to climb using their hands as well.
Their breath was just visible in the chilly air at the peak. His lungs and calves had a pleasant burn. A day in the grav-tank would've left him ready to collapse, but as he stood on the precipice of the mountain, he almost wished there were another few hours of climbing.
He turned in a slow circle, taking in the panoramic view. The edges of West City stood to the north, but the bulk of the city was hidden behind other mountains. The one next to them soared high enough that snow covered its peak. A patch of turquoise-blue water lay on the other side of the mountain, fed by a river that disappeared behind a thick bit of forest.
"So? What do you think?" she asked, shouting to be heard over the whistling wind.
It was…pretty. Probably the prettiest place he'd ever seen, if he was honest. Vegeta wondered how many pretty places like this had been destroyed on Frieza's orders. Had there been places like this on his home planet?
Vicki moved closer. “You okay, V?”
He cleared his throat sharply, and banished the past from his thoughts. “It's fine.”
The disappointment in her eyes was enough to make him soften, like a weak, pathetic fool. “I like it,” he added. “Really.”
Her pretty face dazzled with a delighted smile and Vegeta did not melt into goo. Instead, he looked back down the trail. It wasn't the most challenging thing he'd ever done, but he had no interest in taking the human way to the bottom of the mountain. He hadn't had the freedom to really fly since getting stuck on this planet, and he was itching to stretch his metaphorical wings.
But that meant carrying Vicki, which meant more physical contact. The temptation was always there, lingering at the back of his mind. Holding her above the bears had been his first real test of strength, and he'd barely passed. Could he really trust himself?
“Hello? Earth to Vegeta?”
He jerked his eyes to hers. "Huh?"
"You zoned out on me. Everything okay?"
Vegeta nodded briskly. "Fine."
Vicki looked at him askance. "You'll forgive me if I don't quite buy it."
She was too damn perceptive. He forced a bland shrug. "I was thinking that walking back down is for suckers."
Her brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"Just saying I can get us down to your truck in less than a minute."
Cautious curiosity blossomed in her dark eyes. "Does it have to be that fast? Like, maybe we could go slow enough that my soul stays attached to my body?"
He gave a mocking scoff. "You still have your original soul?"
After pulling a face at him, she looked over the edge of the precipice and twisted her fingers together. "You promise not to fuck around just to freak me out?"
"I would never."
Vicki bit her lip and looked at the trail. "The way down is bullshit," she said slowly.
"All that skree," he said.
"And the bears might’ve come back up the mountain."
"Oh. Wait, now I do wanna walk."
She cuffed him lightly on the stomach. "Don't be a smart ass."
The wind whipped up around them, sending her hair flying. Vicki crossed her arms tightly and shivered. "Whatever we're doing, let's go before I freeze to death."
"It's not that cold."
"It is so!" She reached over and set a hand on his forearm. Her skin was cold enough to make him flinch away, but her eyes lit up. "How on earth are you still this warm?"
Before he could say anything, she wrapped around him with a hungry purr.
Vegeta froze, his pulse thrumming in his ears so loudly he was sure she could hear it. He knew he should pull away, but he couldn’t convince a single part of his body to move.
"You know what? I don't care why. Just gimme." She pressed even closer and nuzzled into the side of his neck.
His brain forced him to breathe, and the floral scent of her shampoo overwhelmed his senses. Her hair was impossibly soft where it brushed against his skin, begging him to comb a hand through it. To bury his face into that silken mass and let himself get lost. Just for a minute. What could a minute hurt?
"So how does it work?"
He snapped loose from the spiral of temptation. "What?"
"If we fly down. Do I hold onto your back, or…"
Vegeta detangled himself from her arms and ran a hand through his own hair. It was a poor substitute. "Uh...I'll…" He tapped one of the straps of her backpack. "Put this to the front."
She frowned and did as told. "But why--"
A soft gasp escaped her as he swept her into his arms. "Makes this less awkward."
She opened her mouth to say something, but he was already launching. Her entire body went tense and she clung to his neck, her heart pounding so hard he could feel it in his own chest.
"Breathe," he whispered in her ear. "I've got you."
Vicki locked eyes with him, her gaze intense enough to make his palms sweat. Her body softened in his arms as she let out a shaky breath. "Alright. I trust you."
***
Vicki didn't know what possessed her to throw herself around Vegeta, but she had. And now she wanted more.
Did he? He'd been like a deer in the headlights when they parted. Was that because her touch was unwelcome, or because it was too welcome?
At any rate, he had her firmly cradled as he flew through the air like a bird on the wind. They were moving in a large figure-eight pattern, swooping lower and lower with each loop. There was hardly any wind buffeting them, which seemed strange to her.
"Why isn't it windy?"
"Because I'm shielding us."
"Shielding how?"
"Using ki."
She frowned. 'Ki' wasn't an unfamiliar concept, but using it as some sort of shield? "Stupid question, but what does that mean?"
"I'll show you."
There was a brief flash of light in his dark eyes, and the wind suddenly howled around them, threatening to pull her from his arms. She pressed more tightly against him, only to see another flash, this one briefly encompassing his entire form as well as her. The harsh wind vanished in a blink.
Vicki squinted. Now that she was watching, she could see a strange play of light along his face, almost like the pattern of Damascus steel. She tentatively reached toward his cheek, and when he didn't rebuff the contact, set her fingertips against his skin. The same mottled light pattern swirled up her fingers, leaving them tingling slightly.
She pulled them away and rubbed her fingertips together. "Fascinating. And these abilities just come naturally to Saiyans?"
His chin lifted. "To most Saiyans, yes. It is a particularly weak Saiyan that cannot master basic flight."
She pulled a face at him. "Are you implying that humans are weak?"
“Not implying.”
If they weren’t still a solid 300 feet above ground, she would have flicked him between the eyebrows. “Real nice.”
He shrugged. “It’s the truth. Not saying that humans don’t have their strongpoints. Just that they don’t have an innate ability to use their ki.”
“But there are some who can.”
“Yup.” He looked down, and came to a sudden halt. “What is that?”
She clutched the front of his shirt and craned her head downward. A moose was wandering toward Crystal Lake, its massive antlers clearly visible even from so high up. “That’s a bull moose.”
“I’m going closer.”
“Yeah, well, just stay out of its reach, Curious George.”
He tilted his head. “Curious George?”
"He's a monkey from a kid's book series. Always in trouble."
A funny look came to his face. “A monkey?”
She nodded. “Hangs out with a guy wearing a yellow hat.”
“I see.” He opened his mouth as though to say more, but seemed to think better of it and started drifting closer to the moose.
The massive creature didn’t seem to notice or care about their presence as it plodded up to the lake and started walking into the water. Vegeta was like a kid at the zoo for the first time, and kept inching closer and closer, despite her hissed warnings.
“They can swim?”
“Does it look like they can swim?”
“Yes! Why are the horns so big?”
“Antlers.”
“Whatever.”
“I don’t know. I think you’re going to like the internet, though.”
The moose climbed out the other side of the lake, and shook itself off before heading back into the woods. Vegeta watched longingly, but finally swept back into his descending pattern.
Vicki fussed with the bell dangling from her backpack strap. “Can I ask you something?”
The lingering delight in his eyes snapped to wary concern. “Depends.”
"It's nothing ominous, I don't think."
“Alright,” he said slowly.
"What, exactly, are you training for?"
Tension played over his jawline as he looked away. She curved a hand over his cheek and guided him to meet her eyes. “You don’t have to answer, Vegeta. I’m just curious.”
“Why are you asking?”
"I mean, I understand discipline, but you…” She shrugged. “This is way beyond discipline. You're like a man possessed."
He was silent for a long moment before finally saying, "There's something I need to accomplish. And the only way is to train as hard as I can."
She frowned. "Have you ever heard the saying, 'work smarter, not harder'?"
He narrowed his eyes. "No."
Vicki poked him in the chest. "Don't get touchy. I'm just wondering if you have all the tools you need to train effectively. That's all."
The building tension seemed to ease somewhat. "The gravity enhancement has been useful. I don't know what else Earth can offer."
"What have you used elsewhere?"
"Other people with similar abilities. Not as powerful, but still."
"You say that like I know what your abilities are."
Vegeta lifted a brow. "What do you know?"
"That you fly. And also that you use ki to shield."
A smirk touched his lips. "Bulma hasn't enlightened you about anything else?"
She shook her head. "I haven't really asked."
"Why not? She'd tell you."
"Because I'd rather ask you. Horse's mouth, remember?”
His cheeks went pink. “Oh. Right.”
When Vegeta didn't say anything else, she wondered if she'd stomped too far past the comfort of his shell. The alien seemed to enjoy their verbal sparring matches as much as she did, despite his protests to the contrary. But he was hypersensitive about being helped. Maybe her assistance was unwelcome.
The parking lot came into sight. Vegeta did a long spiral over her truck, and landed softly on the ground beside the back bumper. Vicki waited for him to release her, which he did with some care, even keeping a hand on her back until he was sure she was steady enough.
Before he could turn away, she cleared her throat. "Hey, V. I didn't mean to push too far."
His brow furrowed. "What makes you think you did?"
"Because you went all quiet."
"Maybe I was just processing what you said."
"Were you?"
"Maybe."
A smile touched her lips. "Stubborn to the last."
Vegeta gave her a half smile, right as his stomach fired off with a grumble that almost echoed.
Vicki laughed. "Jesus. Just imagine if I didn't feed you all day."
He gave her a playful scowl. "Yeah, yeah. Growing boy, and all that."
She had to forcefully keep her eyes to herself, and not on his impressively muscled form. "What say we go check in with Miguel? See how happy he is to stuff you to the gills again."
He frowned. "You know I don't have gills, right?"
Vicki laughed and quashed the urge to hug him again. "It's just another dumb Earth saying."
"Just checking. Some aliens do, but not Saiyans."
She paused and tilted her head. "How many alien species have you met?"
"Dozens."
"Dozens?"
He nodded. "And there are lots more I never met."
She didn't know what to say. It was an entirely surreal discussion, yet she knew he wasn't lying or exaggerating. How could so many lifeforms exist without humans knowing about it?
Vegeta tilted his head toward the truck. "Are we going?"
Vicki shook herself back to present. "Yes. Yes, we are."