It was a typical day at Capsule Corp. The large workshop hummed with activity as Dr. Briefs and his team worked tirelessly to get the ship ready for the journey to Namek. Zane, however, had opted for a break. He leaned against a wall in the corner of the room, watching Bulma as she carefully adjusted the ship's controls.
He couldn't help but admire her focus. Everything about her—the way she worked, her quick thinking, the way she'd handled the situation with Vegeta and Nappa—made him appreciate her more than he expected.
Bulma glanced up, catching his eyes for a moment. She offered a small, distracted smile. "What? You think I can't do it?"
Zane raised an eyebrow, a smirk creeping onto his face. "No, I think you've got it all under control. Just checking out the genius at work."
She laughed lightly, and something about the sound caught him off guard. 'Alright, maybe I like her more than I thought.'
Zane moved closer, offering his help where he could, but mostly just keeping her company. Bulma was in her element, navigating wires and checking screens, but every now and then, she'd glance over at him, as if she was unsure what exactly it was about him that made her feel... different.
Zane moved closer, offering his help where he could, but mostly just keeping her company. Bulma was in her element, navigating wires and checking screens, but every now and then, she'd glance over at him, as if she was unsure what exactly it was about him that made her feel... different.
"So, what was life like for you?" Bulma asked, almost absentmindedly as she adjusted a large circuit board.
Zane's mind went blank for a second. He caught himself, quickly throwing together a believable story. "Oh, you know, just a typical life. Not much to tell."
She raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced, but she didn't press the matter further. Instead, she focused back on the ship, her fingers dancing over the controls as she muttered, "I'll have this up and running in no time."
As the hours passed, Zane began to feel a little antsy. The idea of being stuck in a ship for who-knows-how-long with nothing to do didn't exactly thrill him. So, in his typical Zane fashion, he casually brought it up.
"You think you could add a gravity training room to the ship? It'd be useful for the others while we're on the way to Namek." Zane tossed the suggestion out nonchalantly, like it was no big deal.
Bulma paused for a second, glancing up at him. "A gravity room? We could—" She cut herself off, as though she was just realizing what he was suggesting. "You mean for everyone to train?"
"Yeah," Zane shrugged. "You know, get some power-ups while we're traveling. The journey's gonna be long, right?"
Dr. Briefs, who had been working nearby, overheard the conversation. "It's doable," he muttered, already sketching out ideas on a nearby notepad. "Could be a little tricky to adjust the ship's systems, but it's within reason."
Zane grinned. 'Perfect. I get to mess around with some training, and the others get a workout. Win-win.'
s the day wore on, Zane and Bulma found themselves talking more. Zane kept the conversation light, teasing her now and then, and she responded in kind. There was something about him—his charm, his wit—that made her feel more comfortable than she expected. It was weird. She'd dealt with arrogant guys before, but Zane wasn't like them. He was... different.
At one point, she caught herself looking at him for longer than she meant to, something stirring inside her. 'What's going on with me?'
Zane caught her glance, his smirk not hiding his amusement. "You know, you've got a habit of looking at me like that. You can just ask if you need something."
Bulma blinked, caught off guard, then quickly looked away, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks. "I wasn't looking at you like that... I was just thinking."
"Sure you were," Zane teased, leaning back casually in his chair.
Later, as the evening rolled in and the two of them took a brief break from work, the air between them shifted. They sat together on the couch, with Zane leaning against the armrest and Bulma close beside him.
Zane, ever the tease, nudged her with his elbow. "You're not nervous, are you? You've been working nonstop on this ship."
Bulma rolled her eyes, but there was a softness in her smile. "I'm fine. I'm just... focused. I don't usually get distracted."
"Good thing I'm so easy to be distracted by then," Zane said with a playful smirk.
Bulma didn't respond right away, but something about his confidence, the way he seemed so at ease with everything, pulled her in. Before she knew it, she found herself closer to him than ever, their bodies nearly touching.
Zane looked at her, sensing the tension. It was clear this wasn't just a casual conversation anymore. He leaned in slightly, the air thick between them.
Then, without warning, Bulma closed the gap. Her lips met his in an urgent, soft kiss. It wasn't like anything she expected, but the moment was intense, both of them caught up in the closeness, the warmth.
Zane responded quickly, pulling her in closer, one hand resting on her back while the other found its way around her neck. Bulma's hands slid up to his shoulders, then around his neck, her body pressed against his. Their kiss deepened, and for a moment, neither of them could think of anything else.
Bulma pulled away first, breathless. Her face was flushed, her heart racing. Zane smiled at her, a quiet smirk on his lips.
"Guess I wasn't wrong about that," he said, his voice a little softer than usual.
Bulma swallowed, trying to steady her breath. "Yeah, guess not."
Zane chuckled, his usual carefree demeanor settling back in. 'Well, things are moving quicker than I expected.'
The kiss lingered in both of their minds, but neither mentioned it the next day. Instead, Zane kept things casual, as usual, focusing on their preparations for Namek. But it was clear that things between him and Bulma had shifted. The tension was still there, simmering beneath the surface.
Bulma, meanwhile, was having a hard time shaking the kiss. 'What just happened? Was it just a moment, or is there something more here?'