voidtreckerexpress | ★ ( CLOSED ) the inbetween

Entry tags:

★ ( CLOSED ) the inbetween

Who: CLOSED - Vegeta & Bulma quality time
Where: Some little nook on a random car
When: Early February
What: Bulma and Vegeta steal time together in the train cars
Warnings: Maybe language, maybe a little smoopyness from time to time, otherwise shouldn't be too OTT.

Their time together lately had been very short. Of course, at home Vegeta had been training with Whis and Beerus, though it didn't usually take him away from them for things like dinner and going to bed at night, and maybe... she's become a little spoiled with that. Being in a new place isn't all that bad - Bulma actually enjoys the sense of adventure that she hasn't really had very often since Trunks and Bulla had been born - but having to be in a cabin with other people, and therefore not sleeping in the same room or even bed as her husband?

... It's a little weird. She's not overly attached enough to whine about it too much, but the point being is that she misses their little moments. Like breakfast in the morning where Bulla is sleeping still and so is Trunks, quiet little conversations over a hot cup of coffee before they both go about their days. Maybe they didn't seem like a couple that really did these things, quiet moments together just talking about mundane things, but over time they've come to be a little more... Well. Normal, essentially.

Which is why Bulma arrives with two steaming cups of coffee to the little nook that they've decided would be their little space, for now, offering Vegeta his cup of coffee with a little, quiet smile. "Don't burn yourself, honey. It's fresh."

Could Vegeta burn himself on coffee? Probably not. Was it going to stop her from fussing about him sometimes? Also a no. Once Vegeta has his cup in hand Bulma carefully maneuvers herself into his lap, legs crossed over him, humming a little in satisfaction as she does so. She can't help it - she really enjoys spending time with him.

"So, broken anything in the gym yet?"

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"Thanks." Considering he can tolerate the heat of lava, no, hot coffee isn't going to burn him, but that's not the point of this. That little concern, while silly, was nice, Vegeta taking the offered drink but waiting to sip at it until she got herself comfortable. Once she settles he takes that drink, his other hand moving to rest over her knees. The fact they had found a little hidden spot, away from any foot traffic or any kis heading their ways, allows Vegeta to relax a bit more without the risk of an 'audience'. Is it still silly after all these years? Maybe, but that's just him, and Bulma's well aware what he's like.

"No, I haven't." A bit of attitude behind it, but not too much for the time in the morning. Also, it is a legitimate question. After all, how many times has she had to repair the Gravity Room after he's broken it by pushing it too far? "I plan to wait until we get to a suitable stop before I allow myself to train a full strength." A pause before admitting, "And to push the kids to see how far they can go." Vegeta is curious to see what they are possible of doing once they let loose. He's seen a bit of it with Trunks, and Bulla and he were working on her practicing super saiyan. A space away from everything would be a good chance to just let them push themselves to the limit and to see what is possible for them to reach one day.

You better believe he would love to get his kids to God form before Goku's children could.

"Mmhm." Bulma hums agreeably to Vegeta's thanks. Of course, it isn't hard to bring her husband a cup of coffee, but considering they could fight like cats and dogs about smaller things... well. These little hidden moments mean far more in the long term. Moments where it was just the two of them and there were no prying eyes to perform in some way for.

"I'm surprised." Bulma laughs lightly, good-naturedly, attempting to take a sip of her coffee and making a small squeaking sound of pain as she swallows quickly. A hand comes to cover her mouth, for a moment, a cough following. No machines here to make the coffee a perfect temperature for her and it's a little insulting, if she's honest.

"You three have been working, then, hm?" Bulma can't help the proud smile thinking about it, honestly. She hopes that, with time, Trunks and Vegeta could become closer considering their son could see all the changes in his father since the last time he'd seen him. "How's Trunks doing in training, these days? Has he gotten any better than when you last saw him?"

He ignores her little laugh, though looks up from his cup for a brief moment at her exclamation, already guessing what it was but still to quickly check on her. "Let it cool down first." Saying it despite not needing to, almost a touch of needling back to her from her joke about him breaking stuff. A small trade of a barb, but nothing serious between them.

"Bulla asked for help with her going super saiyan." Vegeta answered, still mulling over how he was going to help her out with that. So far it was sounding different to how his early experience with it had gone, so he would have to come up with tactics that worked for her rather than how they had for him. "He's been learning, however it's against weaker opponents. He needs to know how to transfer those over to fight against stronger enemies." Some good ideas, but only if you were counting on your enemy being a similar strength to you.

"How's your set up going?" He knows she would be chomping at the bit to get her own work space set up, to start working on new items or trying to create ones they were used to here.

"But I want it now!" Bulma whines almost immediately afterward, though her now burnt tongue would have something else to say when it comes to that. For now she'll huddle around the warm cup, blowing feebly along the top surface to attempt to cool the coffee a little faster.

"How is she a teenager and she needs help with that?" The smirk that appears on Bulma's face probably tells Vegeta what she's about to say next, especially with the way her nose wrinkles a little before she says it : "Daddy's little girl doesn't have to train like her brother, huh?" She is 0% surprised, but that doesn't make her want to not tease Vegeta even a little bit about it, in the end. Of course he'd be soft on Bulla - she looks exactly like her.

"Mn. Probably training with that girl. Uh.. Cassie is her name I think. But then again, human, so..." Bulma shrugs a little, knowing that her point is clear to Vegeta. Trunks couldn't go full out on her even if he was taking it easy without it being a huge problem.

"Finding space is the biggest problem..." Bulma sighs, a little. "I've mostly been tinkering in the luggage.. storage kind of area. Someone showed me some spare parts in there so I've been tinkering to see what the tech is like around here versus Verens.

... Either way it's like the damn stone age compared to home. Like why can't we be lucky one time and get somewhere with good tech?"

Though, on that note - "I have had a couple requests for armor, already. And possibly to look in to what it would take to build a healing tank like Frieza had."

Vegeta opens his mouth to give a serious answer to her, to point out he had been an adult before he managed to not only learn super saiyan was a possibility, but to reach it, but it immediately turned into a scowl at her joking. And a bit of a blush. "How am I supposed to know?! It's not like she's a teenager in our world yet!" Also... yes, he gets the hypocrisy over it and... it is harder to train with her! He doesn't want to hurt her! He's noticed him pulling his punches more than he would with Trunks, more aware of her form that may lead to her getting injured in training or a fight. He doesn't want a repeat what he had done with their son, either of them; using the oldest as a punching bag and hitting the younger in the face on instinct.

He's still pouting enough over her comments that when she mentions Cassie all Vegeta gives is a 'hmph' as an answer, enough to confirm he was thinking the same but still annoyed at how well Bulma reads him. The topic change helps a little, distances him from the talk of training to her own drive. And while there are some other aspects he would raise, that last part catches him off guard, only fueling that already annoyed tone before. "What?! I've been wanting one for years and now you think of making one?!"

"Because you're already so much with her." Bulma laughs lightly, still teasing, but also just so very fond in the way she's doing it. There is no way that Bulma is anything close to annoyed or mad that Vegeta treats Bulma far more sweetly than he did Trunks. In a way, she sort of expected it. Especially with how protective he was over her from the very beginning, with their friends holding her and making her cry.

Bulma leans in against Vegeta a short moment, then, cuddling close as if to express to him that she's not at all annoyed before she pulls away.

"There's sensu beans back home!" Bulma explains easily enough, brows raising as if asking him to tell her she's wrong as she says it.

"If I gave you an excuse to be hurt all the time you'd take it a little too much. But here... well. I don't know how I'd even think about getting it done. And there's the space issue."

"Only when the fat man or cat hand them out." Despite his choice of words there's not much fight behind them because, well, she has a point. Especially immediately after he had came to Earth. He had already been pushing himself to full exhaustion even with the limited medical tech at the time, but if he had known he could come back from near death itself multiple times... he would had abused that.

"You may be able to work with others from technically advanced worlds." Then remembering what he had been going to say before getting sidetracked by the teasing about Bulla and the healing pods. "I heard talk some are trying to work on ways to make a communication device to talk to their home universes. One of the women in my cabin mentioned it when I first arrived. I said you could help if they go with tech over magic." Vegeta's not too worried about just volunteering Bulma for such a task as he's pretty sure she would enjoy the challenge of it all.

"You've made it otherwise, Vegeta." Bulma's eyes roll, even fondly, as she thinks about it. How many times had she lifted him out of the rubble of her gravity room to take back to a bed and recover until she couldn't convince him to stay still anymore? Granted, it's kind of a good memory considering that was how they got to know one another a little better and all... but not good for Vegeta's poor, battered body in those moments.

"I think technologically the problem would then be changing the connecting factors every time you go through a different void..." Bulma contemplates aloud as she thinks over the 'phone home' idea. Of course, some people would like that well enough.

Others would want them to think of a way to take everyone home, then, since they could connect to home to speak. She could see the problems now.

"I'm probably not used to working with other people these days. With dad out of the lab and all..." She laughs, well aware of her own control freak problems, on that issue.

He had, and he is rather proud in the fact he had achieved so much through his hard work rather than just having it handed to him. And, well, her taking care of him had been the first time he had started to question just why the hell she cared about having him around or helping him. And the first time anyone actually seemed to care about him. It had all be rather confusing for him.

It's possibly also the reason behind his left shoulder being the one that gave out first...

Vegeta sips at his drink as she spoke, letting her go on over the issues and options, it making sense to him what she was saying, though not able to add much since he really hadn't gotten details on what the others were working on. "I assume even traveling through the void would be an issue to establish a connection." Then a thought. "What if you established a type of relay at each stop? That might be able to make up enough of a network to help determine location. If not for some sort of communication device, then at least to aid us in gathering information about just where the hell this train is going and doing."

Bulma more than likely attributed a bit of Vegeta's successes to the fact that he had someone to take care of him, now. To make sure he wasn't pushing too hard when he shouldn't be, or at least to give him shit when he was being too much. of course, he gave her the same back, but...

Well, that's just marriage, isn't it?

"Yeah, exactly." Bulma agrees with Vegeta's assessment easily enough. "Like a wireless relay or a wired one? The problem is I don't really know how far apart each stop is, either, to figure out what range a relay would need to cover either way..." And since they're doing void travel...

Hm.

"I wonder if anyone's figured out how to measure at all..."

Even if he doesn't admit it unless made to point it out, Vegeta is well aware just how much she had done to allow him to do what he did. How much he got away with when it came to training and not much else, certainly not compared to others on earth. He didn't have to provide for their family via work or food production unlike Krillin or Goku, she was more than set up to keep them all happy for several lifetimes over. And cater to all his demands for upgraded training facilities or armor.

He's very aware he's lucky she's tolerated him this long. And maybe doesn't always understand why she does.

"Could be worth creating a beacon to leave behind and measuring how long it can communicate back as we're leaving the location. For all we know each stop is in a completely different universe." Not that he plans to make one, rather leaving that kind of stuff to her. She's better at it than him, and while he can do the basics, especially compared to what she can create, Vegeta has no interest in it unless he has to.

"So are you going to be starting on drafting designs next or what?" Bulma laughs lightly considering Vegeta's just pumping out ideas here. She's not at all against it, of course, but it's kind of funny that he's suddenly asking her about inventions left and right as well. That's not to say that it isn't a good idea, or that she and Vegeta haven't collaborated for more than creating new armor for him, but, you know...

This is kind of her niche, mister. Don't crowd her in her specialty!

"That's my thought though. We don't even know that this train only travels within one universe, so communication devices may need to be very, very long range at the end of the day..." She pauses, then, thinking about it before finishing with : "And, this train is practically bronze age so I don't know if we'll even have parts able to project within the same universe much less multiple."

Look, he's bored, ok? So incredibly bored on this train. Vegeta has some stuff to keep him distracted, trying to come up with both unique training for himself and for techniques that will work for their kids. But other than that... he hates it. Having something like this to problem solve was actually rather enjoyable, though his lip curls up a bit at her teasing, letting out a sharp 'tss' between his teeth at her joking. "Fine, you deal with it then."

"Wait and see what the next stop is like. It may have access to more suitable supplies." And not just technology. Vegeta wouldn't mind getting some more clothing, those similar to what he likes to relax in back at home. And of course food, hopeful to come across items close to his favorites.

"I mean, I was going to.." Bulma laughs lightly at her husband's irritation, either way, leaning in to nuzzle into him for a moment as if it makes up for her teasing. In a way, it might. In another, she knows she's giving him shit just because she can, and it definitely wasn't going to stop her any way they sliced it.

"I check every place we go for things I might be able to bring back here that may be helpful." Though she's sure that Vegeta knows that. Bulma still has old things of his, and her inventions from years ago - there's no way she doesn't begin a hoard of parts somewhere on this train purely for her own uses.

"Just need to find a place to store it, really. I'm sure the boys wouldn't like it if I started hoarding the compartment with parts."

"You're not storing anything in my cabin." It comes out automatically, cutting that thought well off before she can even suggest it. Vegeta prefers to keep his spaces as clean and uncluttered as possible, especially compared to the mess she can work in, and he also wouldn't do that to his other cabin mates.

"Why not use those devices they have here similar to the capsules? The ones they use on missions?" He's... curious how she feels about the fact such a similar technology exists here, and was being used by those on the train. It's equally interesting as the capsules, but Vegeta has to wonder if she feels like it's stepping on the toes of what her family has created.

"Rude, Vegeta." She's still counting that space as something she can consider though, privately. Especially if it's inventions that will keep him happy or comfortable that she's hoarding parts for. he just doesn't have to know that until she brings them in to store them, of course.

"I don't know how reliable they are, but.. I guess it can't hurt for parts storage." Watch Bulma be the first person to manage to fill a hammerspace armband, of course. It's kind of funny to her that such an old tech train had something like that on board, but then again, she supposes there's a chance it's more advanced than she's been able to dig for in some ways. "I guess I can ask Trunks how much he's been able to store in there... Can't hurt."

Lets face it, they both knew if she wanted to do something she would do it, even if he told her not to. And both knew he would complain about it, but not stop her from doing so. They both knew each others limits pretty well and how far to push the other on them, despite how it may look to others when they would start shouting at each other. Most the time those topics were not ones that were that great of a concern to them, more an annoyance if the other went poking and prodding at them. Half the time just to annoy the other.

They had a system, it worked for them.

"He'd like that I think." After all, Trunks had been raised by 'her', so not have her around during this all must be tough for him, especially in a world with so little other living beings in it.

Bulma still doesn't really know how it works, but she.. well. It works. She had contented herself with Yamcha before, and though they'd fought long and hard for this relationship at the end of the day... she was happy that they had. In their own ways. Could she have done without the whole Majin thing? Yes.

But without it, they probably wouldn't be where they are now, in their own strange way.

"Mn. I think he enjoys being the one with the answers." She smiles, though, thinking about how she would also like that, and so she can't even blame him for it. Though, actually, while they're here -

"What do you think about him and that girl?"

He could had done without the whole Majin thing as well, but, well, it did help bring everything more into focus for Vegeta; to have him actually, finally question just what he wanted in life. To figure out what was his goal. To remind him that... he actually was happy, something he had never thought would be an option for him. Only to lose it all to Buu, to know he had lost her and their son, to almost lose his new home planet, only as he started to realize how important they were to him. It wasn't a painless way to learn this, but it had been needed. And to question himself just what kind of man he was, and who he wanted to be.

It had been the wake-up call Vegeta needed to learn just what was most important to him.

"Is difficult with you with how much you talk." Both a compliment and a prod at her, as if he was any better. Vegeta then raised a brow at her question, thinking about it for a moment before a shrug of one shoulder and another sip at his coffee. "It doesn't matter to me." Then... realizing he should give more of an answer than that since she asked for his opinion on it all. "He seems happy. She doesn't seem like a total moron. As long as he doesn't get her pregnant, because we know how badly that goes." Then a bit of a smirk towards her, joking at their own situation that had started this all.

"It worked out for you, smelly Prince." Bulma snarks it even though she's clearly smiling behind her coffee cup. After all, how many times had she marched him to the shower telling him that he stank in his time at her home in West City? These days he was more a kept husband than anything else, but Bulma certainly doesn't mind providing for his Princely lifestyle since she absolutely can in spades.

"Well, I guess we know he's perfectly capable of defending himself. And between the two of us, I know he has a mouth on him should he ever need it." And she doesn't mean for anything sexual, thank you, though that works too she guesses.

"I guess I'm just used to him being younger so I'm a .. A little not used to the thought of an actual girlfriend and not just a play one if you know what I mean."

Bulma gets a squeeze of his hand against her knee for that bit, not hard, just enough to make her jump for her teasing as he calmly sips at his coffee as if he hadn't done that. "He doesn't use it enough sometimes." Considering they are his parents, this Trunks was rather reserved and quiet for the most. Who knows how that even happened. Their son that they raised together was a far different story, he very much was like his parents in both attitude and volume.

Then a thought as Bulma continued on, Vegeta starting to frown a bit along with it. "Do you think Bulla has someone?" Because... he's not sure how he feels about that, similar to how Bulma did about Trunks. He's used to her being so tiny, was still getting used to her being such a fully fleshed out person here, so being able to consider the fact she may be dating on top of that all... it brought Vegeta's brain to a stop.

"I don't disagree." Of course, he'd been raised completely differently than Trunks in their timeline who had been raised by the two of them and had learned their attitudes accordingly. Bulma doesn't mind the difference, though. Trunks who was raised in peace and was able to have a bit of a bad attitude and a smart mouth because of it is just as precious to her.

She grumbles out something about him squeezing her knee with a playful smile, swatting playfully at his arm but not honestly wounded about it. Who knows how long ago he never would have even given her that, so Bulma is far from complaining.

"Well, she does look like me, so..." Probably, is basically what she's saying. But, Bulma shrugs at the thought, not fussed. "With my attitude and your bulk she will be absolutely fine. If anything, I feel bad for anyone who tries her patience."

"So she's a loud mouth who gets herself into trouble then screams about it?" This was clearly part of the 'teasing Bulma' hour, but she can both easily handle it, and it also showed how relaxed Vegeta was, able to joke around a bit more since it was just the two of them. "I'm sure she's easily able to handle most things that would be a threat to a human, and if that last stop was anything to go by this all is going to be boring." Or at least boring to a super power such as him, someone who was used to training against a god's personal angel and a fellow Saiyan similar to his own strength.

"Then they shouldn't test her patience." A sip of coffee to go along with that, a bit of that princely attitude coming through. Look, their family was the best, others would have to be stupid to mess with any of them.

“Watch it.” Bulma gives Vegeta a point that would be threatening to anyone other than the Prince of all Saiyans, watching him over the rim of her coffee cup. Regardless, though, she doesn’t disagree much.

“I don’t know if I’d go by that last stop across the board. Even in Verens it was long periods of peace and then things that made your skin crawl ...” and she is very much not prepared for anything beyond that, as weak as she is compared to her family and all.

“And you shouldn’t fuss about her.” She sees you, Vegeta. Even low key fussing over their daughter and dating is fussing. “She’s our daughter and that means she’ll get what she wants regardless of what we say or other people say.”

For better or for worse. But Bulma knows the culmination of their genes at this point.

It's partly that, but it's mostly just... it's hardly a threat when this was how they normally talk to each other. Not that he doesn't know when she's actually angry at him. Those were... not good times. This however was not, but only because he has no desire to push her over into that angry mood. Instead Vegeta finished up his drink, planning to move on with his day once she got off his legs. His lip curled up at the remind of Verens, having no desire to ever go through that nightmare again of having all of his emotions on display. "I'll take anything over that place."

As for the daughter, Vegeta let out a huff, realizing that he's not going to win against Bulma, or Bulla if his wife is correct in how much their daughter will take after her. "Fine. Whatever she wants." Not realize how very true that statement was.

Bulma has no intention of letting Vegeta up just yet. It's been far too long since they've had a little bit of stolen time together, between Verens and this next new adventure. It's still a bit bizarre for her, if she's honest, but oh well. It's almost like she shouldn't be surprised, really - they've always been two people of extraordinary experiences and situations, haven't they? Bulma tuts a little, reaching up to brush her fingers along Vegeta's cheek for a moment. "It wasn't that bad. At least there we could travel around how he wanted and could share a room."

That is honestly what she misses most. Time with Vegeta behind closed doors where they didn't have to worry about other people passing by.

"I have a feeling that's what she'll do regardless of what you say, honey." Bulma laughs. She had, after all, blazed ahead with being with Vegeta despite what anyone around her had to say. She was Bulma Briefs, who could actually tell her what to do? "She is your little princess."

"You're just annoyed you didn't get your own floating island." Because of course she's used to getting her way no matter what. Then again, going from a house with their own space, to this... it was hardly ideal. "I wonder if there are empty cabins." He mulls out loud, mostly to himself, but also to her. Not that it would be much better, it would still be the same format, but at least it would be more private.

As for that last comment, Vegeta's spine stiffes before some huffing and puffing, trying to find the words to counter what she just said, then stopping, and restarting again. It, just, it, not like that! But, also, he guesses, but... was that a bad thing? Of course his kids should be royalty! Not that it really mattered... and also, technically they wouldn't be by Saiyan standards but... he, just, hmmm.

"Well! Can you blame me? I like having my own compound..." As evidenced by the Capsule Corp compound in West City, she thinks. Either way, she misses having their own little space, at the end of the day. She could deal with sleeping in different places sometimes, could deal with many things.. but the lack of space for themselves wears on her a little, here.

They aren't exactly a clingy couple... but Bulma did really like having time alone together with Vegeta when they could get it. Like they're doing now, of course. Still, there's a little smile as he wonders about empty cabins. "I don't know. There might be... we could look, if you wanted?" Bulma is definitely not opposed to it, in the end.

Bulma just looks smug as Vegeta struggles for words at her accusation of Bulla being his little princess. It's definitely not a lie, or even very far from the truth. "Don't even try to say it isn't true, mister. You know it is."

"All the more reason to try and get a cabin without others in it." Nope, nope, not going there on that whole princess thing, going to ignore, you can't make him talk about it. Not when Vegeta is still trying to work out how to deal with Bulla, and the fact she's a teen, and how he's supposed to fit into her life now, if at all. He... really hasn't taken the time before arriving here to think that far in the future. Trunks? Kind of, but that was due to the fact they had first met him as a teen, so they had some idea what their younger son would turn into. Just... louder.

Their daughter though? This was all very new territory.

"I mean, you know I'm not going to disagree with getting our own cabin, Vegeta." A little time alone with her husband would never, ever go astray so far as Bulma is concerned. They may not be a particularly cuddly or clingy couple, but Bulma certainly enjoyed their quiet moments when they could steal them, and she knew that Vegeta didn't either or he wouldn't participate.

She does, at least, reach out to gently stroke a hair back behind his ear, as if his hair ever fell out of place, trying to soothe.

"You'll be okay with Bulla, honey. You'll figure it out."

...damn her for seeing through him so easily. "Fine, whatever." It's not so much Vegeta is dismissive of Bulma's comment, just more he can't add anything to it. And is annoyed by that fact.

But also at the fact she really wasn't moving at all. "I need to go get ready for the day." Still giving her a chance to move first... though Vegeta doubts she will willingly. He knows his wife, if she can be an annoyance to him then you better bet she will use it to it's full ability.

They've known each other for too long after all, as a married couple. Able to predict one another with a certain ease that others may find odd or, perhaps, a bit endearing. For two people who liked to scream and have fits a lot... it's a whole thing to get an understanding out of each other after almost thirteen years of trying to figure it out.

"Vegeta.." Bulma whines, predictably pouting as soon as he wants to go about starting his day. "I barely get time with you and now you want to go training?"

There's a moment of hesitation, of a frown on his brow, and when he speaks it's hesitant. "...yes?" Because he does want to go and train, but also it was nice to have time with her, especially in such a location when alone time was so limited. Considering he's far from a public person when it came to how he expressed himself around her, having that limited time compressed even more into shorter and smaller segments was frustrating. He can't fully relax with so many others around. Training was something at least he could do anywhere, to some degree, and that offered some comfort in its familiarity.

He's also realizing that's not the answer she would be wanting from this. Even he's not that dense on this front. Vegeta opens his mouth to answer, then closes it again, trying to figure out what to say. "It-" Hnnngg, why you make him have to say such things, Bulma. "It's not like I don't like this."

"Then why are you so keen to leave?" Yep, too late, mister, Bulma's already annoyed. Yes, her coffee is almost depleted, and it does make a good time to break away, but considering there is almost no private time here on the train, she's got to get what she can, where she can. That includes pinning Vegeta for more quality time if she can get it, which she is classically unashamed of demanding from him.

Goddamnit woman! Why you do this to him?! You know he can't express his emotions well and has issues putting it into words! Including with his wife. Especially with his wife sometimes! Vegeta's own annoyance at her annoyance quickly overtook his tone, "Bulma." It all too easy to react to her anger and reflecting it back. Honestly, this was so often how they got into their shouting matches, one getting angry and the other then throwing it back at them.

Then a pause. And a huff. Them yelling at each other wasn't going to help anything. Well, it might... but that was part of the issue. So while he's not totally calm, Vegeta has lost a degree of that bite that had been in how he had said her name. "It's just..." Ughhh, "No goddamn privacy on this fucking train." Yes, they got a bit of time now, but... well... it wasn't enough, ok? Vegeta actually wants time with his wife. Alone time. Without a chance of others around. Like normal. Well, normal if a certain idiot didn't teleport in on them at random looking to train. Then again, Bulma was pretty good at scaring him back off.

"Vegeta." Bulma echoes back his name as if daring him to tell her what the hell was going through his head at that moment and why it wasn't a good idea. Of course they both want a little more alone time in this place but it is.. exceedingly difficult to come by in the way that Vegeta prefers. She doesn't dislike that he is so intensely private - in fact, it helps so far as Bulma is concerned. For such a public figure, a partner who prefers his privacy is what she would choose over anything else.

"Like I keep telling you, there is the private cars. We can get curtains for them.." Bulma sighs. They have the same wants, at least, so she feels a little less sore about the fact that he wants to go off and train, now.

"I keep meaning to find a way to .. I don't know.. talk to someone about more private spaces for people but things keep getting in the way." Missions, recovery time between those missions, etc. It isn't ideal but there's also a lot more to do than focus on having Vegeta in the same bedroom, she thinks. "Beyond the private cars for now I don't really know what to tell you."

Well, when she puts it like that, it just makes him sound like he's being silly... The fact it was coming from her took some of the force out of how it made him feel, but it still stung as Vegeta realized this. Here he was, whining like a child and avoiding the problem rather than trying to find a solution. He... he's really not good at dealing with this; realizing his faults and addressing them, rather to ignore them until they were not longer a problem. However, well... this was Bulma, and he does want to try with her. For her. It doesn't mean he's not going to huff about it, but losing some of that fight in his form and expression as he lets this turn over and over in his head. Despite her constant need to tease and poke at him... she is very patient with putting up with him.

"Fine, I-" A sigh out, making himself talk, "I'll try." Having lost that bite he had earlier to it too. It's not like he doesn't want to be with her, even with times just like this when it's calm and just them. It's just after all these years Vegeta can still not deal with public affection. It just breaks his brain, even if everyone knows they are married. He pauses again, giving her leg a light squeeze, then considering something to maybe help out and show that, yes he does care about her, even if he's not good at showing it. It may seem completely out of left field, but he asks, "Is it too early for ice cream for you?"

Bulma's gotten rather used to Vegeta's tendency to not recognize his faults. From the way he will blaze through a situation without thinking ahead, to his tendency to just sit and kick and scream instead of actually solving an issue when it's small enough. Yes, the world is not dying and there is no immediate fear of annihilation at the moment, but she will be annoyed if they continue to have to share rooms and hide away in little places like this to get some time alone together.

Happy wife, happy life, you know how that goes. Right, Vegeta?

"You'd better, Vegeta." Lest she start making your life pretty difficult just for the fun and games of it while she's frustrated, Vegeta. Though she couldn't have guessed his next move, the squeeze of her leg, and then the offer for ice cream.

She's laughing before she can even think it over for a moment, shoulders shrugging up. "Why not. Let's get ice cream."

A good answer, but he can't quite look at her for the next part, he already feeling silly he had even done this, let alone admitting it to her. "Red Team is on kitchen duty this month," Not just a side note, this was leading somewhere. "I tried... making some for you. Madoka helped." Since he had screwed up so much on those first couple of batches, half the time cursing himself why he had even bothered to try. But, well... Vegeta had liked how she had reacted on White Day, and he did like her happy so...

"Is strawberry flavored." He also knew how much she loved strawberries.

"Yes, which I'm sure you're thrilled about." Bulma can't help the little jab, since she'd seen him attempting to crack eggs. Look, she couldn't talk. She wasn't exactly a chef herself, but it was kind of funny to watch Vegeta fumble with things that he wasn't familiar with like cooking when she could. But then he continues, and says he made ice cream for her...

... And her face melts in to that overly fond one that he tends to hate in public, leaning in to press against him as best she can.

"Vegeta... how sweet." She'll lean in to kiss his cheek, then, of course appreciative. "Well, since you put so much effort in, let's try it."

Which means she's moving to get up, now, gentle despite the fact that she probably couldn't hurt him if she tried.

Well maybe it wouldn't be an issue if things on Earth weren't so damn fragile! Seriously, even without his training since coming to Earth, he's used to a world that was far more resilient than Earth and it's weak gravity. Vegeta however chooses to ignore her little jab, at least verbally, it does get a bit of a look towards her until she smiles at him like that and that little kiss.

"You better like it." Mostly a joke, but still said as if serious as Vegeta offers a hand to help her stand up before moving to stand himself.

"Look, it takes a lot to ruin ice cream, Vegeta.." She laughs as she stands, checking that she hasn't stained her clothes with coffee and hadn't noticed, hanging back for a moment to allow Vegeta a moment to stand. He is never too far behind but she doesn't want to ditch him at the first thought of ice cream.

"Plus if you had help I think it will turn out just fine."

"You're lucky I didn't leave you the salt one I accidentally made." Vegeta muttered out as a tease as he joined her, holding out a hand to offer to take her empty coffee cup. "Maybe next time if you're still being a pain." A bit of a smirk to go along with it.

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