Compromise

Fallout (Part 3)

Bulma didn't sleep very well at all. After painkillers, some take out and some trashy romance movies, she lay in 18 and Krillin's spare room feeling miserable. Had she ruined her marriage and her friendships? All because she felt like she wasn't getting enough attention from her alien husband. Maybe she deserved to be single, maybe she would focus on science, be a spinster...

"Coffee?" 18 said, her hair up in a towel, "Shower's free, by the way."

"Kami, yes." Bulma croaked, sitting up and swinging her legs out of bed.

"Just so you know, if the circumstances were different, I'd totally bang you." 18 said, handing her a mug, "But alas, I am monogamous."

Bulma cringed, covering her eyes with her free hand, "Oh fuck, I'm so sorry. I'm such a pervert."

"Nah, it's okay." 18 shrugged, sipping her own coffee, "You should definitely have a shower and go home though. Talk to your husband."

"Yeah... you're right." Bulma said with a sigh, her fringe blowing away from her forehead. "Okay. I'm gonna do it."

"Ganbatte." 18 said, patting her on her head.

Bulma ordered a French catering company to serve up brunch at her house. They set up in the garden, and Bulma hoped the smell of freshly baked croissants would attract Vegeta, and Vegeta only.

It worked.

Vegeta had just finished testing out the newly fixed and improved Gravity Chamber. He had showered and dressed, and his nose alerted him that there was food nearby. Not Panchy's baking either. Buttery pastry...

Vegeta literally followed his nose to the garden, where Bulma was pacing.

Ah. Time to talk.

"Bulma." he said by way of greeting. She startled, but then seemed to calm herself.

"Hi." she said awkwardly, and they both took a seat at the table. Vegeta was quiet as he grabbed a croissant and sniffed it. Pleased, he opened it up and buttered it. Bulma stared at him, taking in a deep breath and exhaled.

"Do you, uh, mind if I smoke?" she asked nervously.

"Give me one." Vegeta held his hand out. Bulma took them out of her purse and handed them to him, only to flinch as he incinerated the whole packet at once with his ki.

"Hey!"

"I told you to give up." He said, dusting his hands off, and she scowled. He was right though, so she couldn't throw it back at him.

"Well... I've been trying." She grumbled, grabbing a croissant for herself.

Vegeta wanted to tell her that it wasn't good enough. That he had upheld the end of their agreement. But he ruined that by fucking Chi-Chi.

So here they were back at square one.

"I'm sorry." Bulma said with a sigh.

Vegeta wasn't expecting that one. "What for?" He said, taking a bite of the flaky bread.

"I put us in this situation, and it's only made things worse." She said, staring at her lap.

Vegeta gazed at her, chewing slowly. He sighed, dropping his croissant on his plate. "Look at me." He said, reaching over the table and grabbing her hand, "I crossed the line. It was going fine until I literally fucked it up."

Bulma sniffed peering up at him with watery eyes, "But it's my fault!"

"Did you force Chi-Chi to sit on my face?" Vegeta asked with a snort.