Work Text:
Bulma came in late for dinner, proud of a hard day’s work. When she entered the kitchen, she saw Vegeta sat at the table full of empty dishes. He must have noticed her come in, but he didn’t acknowledge it.
She opened the fridge and grabbed a container of leftovers and walked over to the table to sit opposite of Vegeta.
“Where’ve you been?” He asked rather annoyed. She’d gotten use to that tone.
“Where do you think? The lab. I’m working on something I think you’re gonna like,” she answered with a smile, opening up the container and eating some food cold.
“Hmm,” he huffed.
“How was your day?” She asked.
“Fine.” Bulma had to chuckle to herself at his consistently stubborn attitude.
They sat in comfortable silence while Bulma ate. She took occasional glances at Vegeta who stared off into the distance. There was something about his demeanour. He was usually the quiet type, but she suspected something was on his mind.
“Why are you still siting here?” She asked, “would have thought you’d go back to the Gravity Chamber the second your stomach was full.”
He shrugged.
“Something on your mind?” She asked.
He took a moment.
“In fact, there is,” he confirmed.
She raised her eyebrow at him as she brought a glass of water to her lips. She took a sip.
“We should get married,” he stated out of the blue.
Bulma almost spat out her drink. Vegeta flinched. He felt embarrassed.
“Get married?” She asked incredulously.
“Or not,” he said defensively, “whatever. I don’t care.”
“Vegeta,” she giggled, “I do want to marry you, of course I do. It’s just, not how guys usually propose.”
“How should I know that?” He asked awkwardly.
“Don’t be so serious,” she teased, “do you even know what human marriage is?”
He thought for a second. He realised he didn’t really know.
“Is it not what we are already doing? Living together,” then he added, “being in love?”
That comment did not go unnoticed by her. It warmed her heart.
“I mean,” she started, “yeah, but it’s a whole thing.” She explained rather excitedly, “You’re supposed to get down on one knee and propose with an engagement ring and then we become fiancées. Then we’d have a wedding which has two parts: the ceremony in front of family and friends where we officially become husband and wife, then a party afterwards. Oh,” she added cheekily, “then the honeymoon.” She winked at him.
He suppressed a blush.
“Ugh,” he composed himself, “why so much pageantry?”
She laughed, “Well, it’s a public celebration of our love.”
Vegeta grimaced and crossed his arms, “a damned spectacle, more like.”
“Yeah,” she had to agree, “I figured that you wouldn’t be into that.”
She got up and put the empty container in the sink.
He thought on it while she rinsed the dish.
“So you don’t want to get married? You wanted to marry Yamcha.” He couldn’t hide the contempt and jealousy in his voice. Yamcha always got on his last nerve. She shot him a look that said 'don’t start that'.
“I want to marry you,” she stated clearly, “but I don’t want you to do it just to make me happy. I want you to want it too.”
Vegeta had long given up his unwillingness to admit his feelings to himself with regards to Bulma. He had loved her for some time now, but the thought of standing in front of everyone and having to say it out loud?
It’d be fun to rub that in Yamcha’s face on one hand, but looking out and seeing Kakarot’s stupid grin… He couldn’t stomach the thought. But there was something about making this woman his wife that he found irresistible. To be Bulma’s husband…
His mouth formed a smile, but then he became aware of himself and that Bulma was standing right beside him. “Hmm?”
“I said, ‘bedtime’?”
He pulled her onto his lap. She was pleasantly surprised. They embraced and kissed tenderly.
They pulled apart only slightly, resting against each other’s foreheads.
“Be my wife,” he said softly.
“My pleasure,” she said, kissing him again.
In their whole lives, they were both happier than they’d thought they’d ever be.