Triangles

****I'm only going to say this once, as it follows for the rest of the chapters in my story: I do not own Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, or its characters. All characters belong to Akira Toriyama.*****

What is she doing here? Vegeta thought, waking up from a painful nightmare. It was that insufferable woman, sleeping at the desk by his bedside. Had she been there all night? Not that it really mattered—Vegeta had more important things to do. Even so, for that one second, he had forgotten about the painful injuries to his body and to his pride. Having no further intrigue as to why she was in the room, he removed the cables and oxygen and whatever the hell else that shit was keeping him in that bed, and headed back to the gravity simulator.

He had no idea how long he had been out of commission, but his wounds were not healed, that was for certain. No matter, the closer a Saiya-jin was to death, the stronger he got after recovery. He was determined to push himself as far as he could possibly go. Maybe this was the key to becoming a super Saiya-jin. If he could withstand 300...no…400 times normal gravity in his current state, then there was no telling what he could do once he was healed again. Regardless, the arrogant alien wanted to continue his training. That was when her nagging voice and annoying face appeared on the monitor, causing him to lose focus.

"Vegeta, you are in no condition to be training right now! Those injuries will never heal if you keep that up!" the blue haired heiress shrieked.

Vegeta hit the ground, as he had been taken by surprise. He was completely pissed off that she made him lose his concentration, and he seriously hurt himself from the harsh impact. He stared at the screen, which was zoomed in on her angry face, and she wouldn't shut up. He needed to train.

"Do you want to die in three years?" He scowled.

"Of course not, I'd much rather live! I'm a beautiful woman, and I only get better with age y'know," She said slyly, tilting her head to the side.

"In that case, SHUT UP!"

Bulma gasped. His reaction to her inquiry had her completely taken aback. She couldn't help but let her emotion escape her face as she frowned worriedly before turning off the screen and leaving Vegeta to his business. He did have a point though. If they had any hope of defeating the artificial humans in three years, they would need Vegeta's help. He was only second to Son-kun in strength, making him one very powerful ally. But Bulma knew he was seriously injured, and feared for his death. She didn't want him to die, the earth needed him.

Was that the only reason she feared his death? She couldn't deny that ever since he moved into the Capsule Corp headquarters that she had felt an attraction to him. She once feared him intensely, shaking at the mere thought of coming face to face with him. Now he was living under the same roof as her. Her attraction to him wasn't only physical, but the mysteriousness of his character, as well as the challenge of even interacting with him was somewhat exciting. She did try to be nice and hospitable towards him while he had been there, but thought it was fun to push his buttons when she could. He could blow them all up at any time, but she knew that he wouldn't. He needed her and Capsule Corp if he had any chances of getting the type of training that Goku had on his way to Namek, ultimately realizing the Super Saiyan transformation. She knew he was at her mercy, and she reveled in how the tables had turned for the young prince.

Yamucha had also noticed the subtle attraction Bulma had toward Vegeta, and he did not like it one bit. It was because of that creep that Earth had almost been destroyed, and the reason for his own death. How could that jerk be gallivanting around Capsule Corp like it was nothing? He only served as an ally to Goku because he wanted the stupid dragon balls to wish for immortality to take over the universe, and he himself was no match for Frieza, so he had no choice but to team up with Earth's forces. It's not like he really had a change of heart or anything; he simply took an opportunity when he saw it. Jerk.

For Bulma to be helping him out and letting him stay there bothered the living shit out of him. If that wasn't bad enough, she seemed to be attracted to the idiot. He saw the way she looked at him and took note of her flirtatious comments. Vegeta-kun she would say. Ugh, it was disgusting. Now she was looking all worried about him after the gravity room explosion. The way she held him in her arms after finding him in the rubble…the way she stayed by his bedside all night with that worried look on her face. He wondered if she was as worried about him after he died.

Not that Yamucha could lie to himself, he was also worried when Vegeta was hurt in the explosion. He could have blown Capsule Corp up with his recklessness, but he also knew that they all needed him to help fight against the artificial humans. Depending on Vegeta in this way made him sick to his stomach, but he had no other choice but to do so. He knew he was out of his league when it came to strength in comparison to Goku and Vegeta.

Vegeta turned off the gravity simulator. He couldn't train any further. If that stupid woman hadn't distracted him, maybe he could have continued a little bit longer. He knew his injuries would keep him from training too long—he didn't need that simpleton telling him that.

Vegeta hated his predicament. First, he lost in battle to that low-class Saiyan Kakarrot, who ultimately defeated Frieza. The fact that HE was the one to avenge their race...he hated that lowlife. Not only that, but he was a super Saiyan of legend, something that was a birth right to the elite class. The only satisfaction he could find in the situation was that Frieza died at the hands of a super Saiyan—however, he couldn't stop his agony of wishing it was his hands that dealt the final blow. If that wasn't bad enough, another super Saiya-jin appeared, warning them of the artificial humans to come in three years. While Kakarrot had three years to get even stronger, Vegeta had only three years to catch up to two low class Saiyans, and surpass them. What the hell was going on here?

To add insult to injury, he had to stay on Earth, the very planet he was trying to destroy. He was forced comply with the demands of that vulgar woman and be civil with those disgusting Earthlings. He had no money and no place to stay, and foraging in the wild was no place for a prince. He admitted he was relieved that he was able to stay with the wealthiest people on the planet, and had access to their excellent technology, but in a sense, he was still being controlled. He had to restrain himself from blowing up the planet and remain as civil as he possibly could to keep the hospitality that Capsule Corp provided. He also needed them to build him the training tools he needed to give him an advantage over Kakarrot and those other fools.

Vegeta hated needing anybody. He absolutely despised it. Being at the mercy of anyone—when he was brought up to believe that he would one day rule all—completely destroyed him. The prince of no one, ruler of nothing. He had never felt so lonely and helpless in his life. Everything he wanted to achieve, taken from him; his destiny ripped to shreds. The only thing keeping him present was the threat of the artificial humans, and most of all, becoming a super Saiyan of legend. He needed to kill these stupid artificial humans as fast as he could, so he could then focus his energy on defeating Kakarrot. Once he did that, maybe, just maybe, he could fulfill his destiny; his birthright. It was time for a hot shower.

After agonizing over his predicament, he knew he needed to tend to his wounds. He needed to heal as fast as possible. Once again, he had to ask a favor of that stupid woman. Maybe he could find her dimwit father and ask him to make sure he recovered as quickly as possible, but the damn place was so big, and he didn't know his way around all that well. That old man was always hard to find, and he knew it was inevitable that he would run into that annoying Earth woman and have to ask her to do it. He really didn't want to. He was tired, and wanted desperately to return to bed, but he knew his recovery had to be top priority.

Bulma saw a battered Vegeta stumbling through the hallways of Capsule Corp. He was heading toward the kitchen. She couldn't even be mad at him, he looked so pitiful. She doubted he would be able to eat as much as he usually did. Saiyans were bottomless pits when it came to eating, but him seeking any kind of nourishment would do him some good.

Instead of leaving Vegeta to his solitude, she could not help but to follow him. Maybe she could convince him to tend to his wounds instead of engaging in the reckless training he had become accustomed to.

"Vegeta-kun…"

Ugh. He was hoping she would follow him so he could talk to her, but he really hated it when she called him that. How dare she address him in such terms of endearment? He found it insulting. The man who was once referred to as Vegeta-sama—or even better, Vegeta no Ouji…her refusal to call him Vegeta-san at the very least only reminded him of his loss of status. He was not her close friend or lover, and she had no right to address him in such a manner. He only put up with it because he needed her services, but it was only a matter of time before he snapped. Right now he was too weak to engage in such mindless bickering.

"I need to recover as quickly as possible," he said without emotion. There wasn't even a hint of animosity in his words. It was obvious that he was in a great deal of pain; he at least expressed annoyance, anger, or arrogance in his words.

"I figured as much. Lucky for you my father and I are in the process of building one of those medical machines you had described. It's not quite finished yet, so until it is you will have to be on bed rest."

"Alright then."

Vegeta headed back to his room to sleep, without even taking anything to eat. He was exhausted, and he didn't want to engage in anymore conversation with that woman. She always seemed to follow him in there. At least she was smart enough to know that he had to go there every day, and had the best chance of running into him there. Her attraction toward him was obvious, and it was annoying. She already had a mate anyway, how vulgar of her. He laid down on his bed, and instantly fell into a deep sleep.

After seeing Vegeta train, Yamucha decided it was time to go on a training journey. He had to get out of this place and the negative energy that Vegeta brought wherever he went. Every time he saw that nut case they argued, almost to the point of physical combat. He didn't want to leave Bulma alone with him, but he figured she could take care of herself. She would understand that he needed to train just as badly as the rest of Earth's defenders. He would at least say goodbye before leaving.

Yamucha headed toward the Capsule Corp laboratory, where she would undoubtedly be working with her father on yet another invention to appease Vegeta. Trying to fight off his annoyance at the sight of her and her father working on the contraption, he entered the room.

"Hey Bulma, Puar and I are going to go out and train for a while. I might not be back for a couple weeks. I might even meet up with Goku and the others, and make a trip to old timer Muten Roshi's for a bit to see what Krillin is up to."

Bulma stopped what she was doing and turned to face him. She did love Yamucha, and was sad he was leaving, but she understood the importance of the matter. She walked up to him and gave him a gripping hug. She looked into his eyes and kissed him forcefully, as if telling him that she wished him well, but would undoubtedly miss him. Yamucha was grateful for her reaction, as he wondered if she had been straying from him. Bulma pulled away from the kiss, slowly unwrapping her arms from around him. She looked at him deep in his eyes, holding back tears, but not being able to keep her eyes from watering.

"Be careful Yamucha, but don't be gone too long ok?" she said with an understanding smile.

"I won't babe, don't you worry. I'll be back in no time. I hope you can handle living with Vegeta without me around for a bit."

"It won't be a problem. I hardly see him anyways, he's always in that gravity room training," she said, with a slight smugness in her voice.

"All right then babe, I'll see you in a few weeks. I'll call you when I'm at Muten Roshi's."

"Sounds good," she smiled. At least he would call her. This made her feel better about his departure. "I'll see you soon Yamucha!"

After a hard day's work on the medical machine/healing chamber thingamabob Vegeta sooo insisted that they build for him, Bulma retired to her room. She couldn't help but think about Yamucha. The passion between them had been fading, but she tried her hardest to cling to him. She could tell that he was straying further and further away from her with each passing day, and she wanted to pull him closer.

Or did she?

Their relationship had become boring—he was the only man she had ever been with, as was she the only woman he had been with. Was there something better out there?

Of course not, she thought, every relationship has its ups and downs. What's better than having my first love be my only love? We have been together for so many years now. He really loves me, and he's not going anywhere. They had been together for so long it was like they were married already…

Bulma's stomach dropped. Was Yamucha planning to propose to her? She didn't know how she felt about marriage in general, let alone a marriage with Yamucha. Marriage…something about it just wasn't her style. Maybe Yamucha was the right person for her to settle down with and have a family after all…