Vegeta growled in annoyance as Kakarott ripped the remaining shreds of his shirt away, exposing a firm and muscled chest, marked here and there with cuts and bruises, as well as a few barely visible scars.

"Damn it, Kakarott," he complained, "Do you always have to do that?"

"Do what, Vegeta?" he asked. Vegeta was sure he detected the hint of a smirk, but it was gone so quickly he couldn't be sure.

"You know perfectly well what. Exposing yourself. Taking off your shirt."

Kakarott grinned. "I've never hear any complaints. Chichi liked it, as a matter of fact."

"She would," he muttered under his breath, experiencing an unusual flash of jealousy at hearing the woman's name on Kakarott's lips.

"Why?" Kakarott continued, "Does it bother you?"

"No!" he snapped before feeling his face heat up at Kakarott's pleased smile. "Do whatever you want - you will anyway," he finished lamely, trying to figure out just when he had lost control of this conversation.

"You know - you could take your shirt off too," Kakarott responded, and this time he was positive he saw the smirk.

"Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you?" he retorted, trying to hide that it suddenly seemed like a very good idea.

"You'd hear no complaints from me."

Vegeta stood and examined the other Saiyan, wondering if he was misinterpreting things again. He'd done it often enough throughout his life, sometimes to his painfully hidden embarrassment. Kakarott certainly looked more comfortable - more himself...more Saiyan like this. Every sculpted muscle stood out, exercise and sweat bringing out their definition.

"Vegeta?"

He jumped at the sound of Kakarott's softly voiced question, annoyed with himself upon realizing just how distracted he had become.

"Fine," he growled, wrenching his shirt off and throwing it aside. He nearly gasped at the feel of air suddenly hitting his sweat-soaked skin, the evaporating making his flesh tingle.

"See?" Kakarott said, taking a stalking step forward. Vegeta met his eyes and moved to meet him. The other Saiyan was doing nothing to hide his smirk now. "No complaints from me.