Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Abiding Bonds ❯ Wakings ( Chapter 2 )

Better late than never is what I always say!!! It's been done for awhile, but my beta-reader has been hellishly ill, and she does such a wonderful job with my fics, and knows my characters so well, I never at all mind waiting until she's feeling better to have my work gone through to post. No one else minds, do they? *GLARE* I thought not. So lessee…disclaimers…warnings…

 

Fluff mostly. Rated PG-13, though the rating will go up in chapter 4.

 

Alternate universe. Pairings? Vegeta/just about everyone. Trunks/just about everyone. NO shota. NO non-con planned. Much collars and slavery. Yummy. Some incest. Some het, though I don't plan on any het lemons thanks. Lots of Mpreg.

 

I do not own Dragonball Z, or any characters created licensed and copyrighted by persons who are not me. Sage is mine however, in most of his incarnations. If you have to ask for permission to borrow him, don't. He doesn't play well with others.

 

Always for Dasia. My red-headed muse in combat boots. *leer*

 

Also for Manawolf and Otana for their inspiration. Radditz is strongly influenced by Manawolf's Radditz, and Otana is partially responsible for the creation of this universe, due to a conversation about how Vegeta handles his procreation and resulting responsibility.

 

With my utmost respect and sincere gratefulness and thanks to my overworked and underpaid beta-reader bakayaro_onna who is dealing with way too much shit to worry about my shit too!!!

 

And maybe this time, I can keep the warnings, disclaimers, dedications and thanks to less than a page? Please enjoy….

 

 

 

Abiding Bonds (formerly “Binding Bonds”)

 

A Sagey Tail

 

By Talon

 

Chapter 2

 

Wakings

 

Trunks woke the next morning feeling very warm and content. He and Goten had stayed up late talking and, as was their habit, had snuggled in bed together. Goten was still sleeping. Like his Mama, Kakkarott, he hated to be roused before noon. It was adorable, the way his arm was flung over his eyes, to block the sunlight before it even had a chance to wake him.

 

Trunks yawned and sat up, gently disentangling his body from his brother's. They were only about a year apart in age, and looked as different as could be. Trunks took after his alien mother with his odd coloring. Blue eyes and purple hair where black eyes and hair was the norm in a race definitely caused Trunks to stand out. Goten also looked very like his own birth parent, though his sebba was Saiyajin. Pulling the covers more snugly around Goten, he slid out of bed and stumbled into his small kitchenette, on the lookout for something to drink, then shuffled into the bathroom to relieve the night's build up. It wasn't until after leaving the bathroom he heard the scurrying around outside his door. Pulling on a robe, he stuck his head out and grabbed a passing guard. “What's….” he yawned hugely, “all the commotion?”

 

“Prince Sage has gone missing,” said the harried guard, bowing deeply. “Please excuse me, your Highness, but I must give my report.”

 

Trunks let the guard go. He rubbed his eyes as he retreated into his rooms. Pulling on pants and a tunic, the still half-asleep prince then tossed a pillow at Goten. “Oi…Sage is missing…” he called to his brother, who grumbled and rolled over in the bed, pulling the pillow over his head.

 

“G'way…” was the only response from Goten, and Trunks grinned as he pulled on his boots. `ten was the most bond sensitive of all of his siblings. If Sage was in any sort of trouble, he would be awake and frantic right now. The fact that he wasn't reassured Trunks immediately.

 

“I'm gonna go look for him, an' calm Papa down,” he informed his sibling, though he expected no response, and got none as he left his quarters.

 

Trotting down the hallway, he passed frantic guards and slaves, heard ventilation shafts being opened and looked through, and people calling for Sage…as if they thought he'd actually answer the clamor. Rolling his eyes, he walked into Sage's room, only to find a tearful Nasu, who was being roughly questioned by the guard.

 

“That is ENOUGH of that,” said Trunks, striding over to the distraught slave and pulling him away from the guards. “I myself dismissed Nasu last night. Prince Goten and I were the last to see the prince, so back off.” Reassuring the slave that Sage's disappearance wasn't his fault, he sent the worried slave to his room to calm down. “Now…has anyone thought to check his sebba's quarters?”

 

There was a silence, then a burst of explanations, from there was no way a child as small as Sage could open the door on his own, to the fact the slave quarters were still locked up, to no one had seen him pass the guard stations last night. Trunks merely snorted and turned, stalking towards the slave quarters. That was the problem with other people dealing with the brat. They without exception underestimated him. Sage found it amusing and useful; he'd said as much to Trunks on occasion. But it annoyed Trunks, to his surprise. He didn't like people underestimating his youngest brother. Well, not REALLY his youngest brother, but he didn't really count some of the others. For one thing, they were still with their sebba's or mother's…for another…they just weren't all that…remarkable.

 

Punching in his entrance code to the slave quarters, Trunks walked in and smiled at some of the younger slaves who were milling around and looking unsettled. Trunks reassured them everything was fine, and proceeded to Radditz's room. It was, without a doubt, one of the most opulent, comfortable, largest rooms in the slave quarters. He opened the door silently and closed it behind him, padding over to the bed and drawing back the gauzy curtains. He couldn't see Sage right away…not with all the black hair everywhere, but he could smell blood and he frowned as he reached over to shake his father's favorite slave awake. “Radditz…wake up. Is Sage here?”

 

Radditz rumbled. There was no other word for it. It put Trunks in mind of a big, sleepy male desert cat as he rolled to the side, stretched and blinked up benignly at Trunks, frowning slightly, still half asleep. Then, as though he processed Trunks' question, he moved a hank of hair, revealing the small, sleeping form of his son.

 

Trunks let out a sigh of relief he hadn't known he'd been holding in. He had been pretty sure this was where he would find Sage, but there had been that nagging doubt. On the other hand, where else would he go? Not to Papa. Not at night. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Trunks rubbed a small bare foot, smiling as Sage scowled in his sleep and drew it up to his body. “Everybody's frantic. But nobody thought to check here because the doors were still locked.”

 

Radditz yawned. “He came in late last night, your Highness. I…couldn't turn him away.”

 

“Of course you couldn't, Radditz, no one will fault you for that. Was he injured? I smell blood…”

 

Radditz looked slightly embarrassed. “No, he's not injured. He just…wanted comforting when he came to me. That's all.”

 

Trunks blinked. “I thought he was weaned at least a year ago!! That's one of the requirements for separation, Radditz!” If Sage was still being blood-fed, that might change everything.

 

Radditz looked away. “He is weaned. Mostly. But sometimes he still trills, when he's not feeling well, or he's sad, or he wants more food or reassurance…it's just a comfort thing, Trunks-sama. Like him sucking his thumb. I just can't say no to him. Not for something that gives him so much security. And it's not hurting anyone.”

 

Trunks clenched his teeth together. He wasn't angry…not really…well, maybe a little. “But if he's still being blood-fed, Radditz, then the separation has to be looked at again, regardless of whether it's for comfort or nourishment or not. You know that.”

 

Radditz was stubborn as he leaned over and started to groom his tiny son, licking from the chin of his diminutive face up into his flame-swept mane. “No, I didn't know that. He's my son, Trunks-sama. Ain't no one closer t'him `n me. An' he's still got catchin' up to do. `f he's still wantn' blood, tha's between him `n me. No one else. He ain't dependant on it. He jus' wants it fr'm time t'time. Tha's all.” Radditz's slave accent, usually fairly soft, was thickening with each defiant lick at his son's mane. Trunks rubbed his forehead.

 

“Radditz. Is he or is he not weaned?” Simple, straightforward, c'mon, just answer the question, he thought desperately. Please?

 

“Sure he's weaned.”

 

“But he still trills, and you still give him blood.”

 

“Well, I cn't very well say NO to him, Trunks-sama. He nearly died when he wuz born, an' again a month after. He's…fragile.” Lick, lick, liiiiiiiiiick.

 

“Radditz, Sage is about as fragile as a space freighter. He may have had to catch up for being born early and being sick in the beginning, but he's caught up and well past his peers as far as power level, intelligence and dexterity go. You don't have to protect him anymore. He's more than capable of doing it himself. He's…” Trunks paused as Sage squirmed and yawned under his sebba's attentions. Gods, he was so small. He looked even smaller surrounded by Radditz's mane and his tail and his mane was starting to get that damp look about it from being licked into submission.

 

Radditz snorted through his throbbing purr. “He's a baby. He's MY baby, more t'th' point. Ain't no one tha' c'n tell me how t'take care `f him. Not even y'r father.” Gently nuzzling Sage's cheek, he encouraged the cub to wake.

 

Sage yawned and stretched and flopped his overly long tail back and forth. He mewled a little, adorable high pitched mewl as he fisted his hands in his Mama's mane. Someone SAVE me from the cute, thought Trunks desperately as his brother blinked open endless onyx eyes up at his sebba. “Mama?” He frowned and rubbed his head against Radditz's chest. “Mama, I can't hear you.”

 

“I know, chukra,” said Radditz quietly. “The bond has been shut off from my collar. But I'm right here.” He nuzzled and licked him again.

 

Sage scowled harder. “But WHY??”

 

“Because you were supposed to be separated last night,” said Trunks flatly from where he was still sitting on the bed. He was amused to see his little brother's tail floof out. “What, you thought no one'd think t'look in here jus' b'cause you know how t'lock th' door behind you?”

 

“Well, tha's wha' I was HOPIN',” retorted his endearing little brother.

 

Trunks chuckled. “Well, it worked. Until I was informed of the situation. Unlike the rest of the people who live here, I don't labor under the delusion you're a helpless little brat-cub.”

 

Sage stuck his tongue out at his older brother and curled up to his Mama, who obligingly folded him into his arms. “Mama, `m hungry,” he said plaintively, ignoring Trunks for the moment.

 

“Oh no you don't, brat. You know very well you have to have breakfast with Papa this morning. EVERYONE does.” One morning a month, Papa had all his separated children at one table for breakfast. There was no getting out of it with anything less than a doctor's note stating you would without a shadow of a doubt either vomit all over the table, thereby rendering breakfast inedible, or the strain of dragging your diseased body to the table would be too much and you would perish on the spot. Besides…most everybody looked forward to breakfast with Papa. Unlike Kakkarott and Goten, Papa was a morning person, and the best time to get in his good favor was at breakfast.

 

Sage pouted openly through the cuddles and licks he was getting. “I don' wanna sit next to Bra. She pinches.”

 

Trunks snorted. “Don't tell me you let a GIRL push you around, brat…”

 

Sage scowled. “She's ICKY. She's YOUR sister…you make her quit,” he directed imperiously as he was groomed by his sebba.

 

“She's your sister too, brat. If you want her to stop pinching you, quit yowling every time she does it. She just likes the reaction she gets out of you. Besides, Bra is much weaker than you. Of course, since she is my full sister, she's probably smarter than you are…” Deliberately leaving that wide open, Trunks smirked as Sage's tail lashed and he yowled in protest, “SHE IS NOT SMARTER THAN ME!!!”

 

“Then you don't have to worry about dealing with her, do you, brat?” he said calmly. “Make sure he's dressed appropriately, Radditz, you know how Papa hates to see messy cubs at the breakfast table.” It wasn't that he disliked messy cubs at his table so much; just this one morning a month was more than a time for all the separated children to be together, it was also an exercise in formal manners.

 

“As you wish, your Highness.” Radditz's voice was respectful, but Trunks caught the twitch of the slave's tail out of the corner of his eye and he grinned. As his father's primary heir, Trunks had certain…privileges. He would inherit his father's harem when he took the throne, and to that end, after his Awakening he was allowed not quite free reign…but very liberal allowances where his father's slaves were concerned. The ones his father bred with could not conceive from anyone BUT his father as a result of the bonding, so there were no worries his blood would tarnish his father's line. It was important, because if he couldn't command the respect of his father's slaves, he would be useless at ruling the planet.

 

“As I wish indeed, Radditz. I shall return after breakfast then…to inspect…” His own tail twitching, he smirked, then leaned over and kissed his father's favorite slave deeply, over Sage, whom he knew from experience was scowling, and was probably preparing to injure his older brother in some way. Ending the kiss just before Sage's foot flashed out, Trunks easily caught the bare appendage, smirked and remarked, “Too slow, brat.”

 

Sage glowered at his elder brother. If niichan was comin' back here after breakfast, tha' meant he hadda be somewhere else. Likely gettin' lectured by Papa, or bein' tol' he hadda go play with some of th' other cubs or somethin'. “Don't you never think `bout stuff other than sex, niichan?” His voice wasn't exactly plaintive, but it didn't come out quite in the accusatory tone he was going for.

 

“Sure. For example, right now, I'm thinking of you, dressed and sitting in your place at the breakfast table.” Casually he turned, flicked his tail and brushed his ass length hair off his shoulder with one hand. “Do not disappoint me, Radditz. Do make sure Sage is on time for breakfast.” And with that, he left the slave quarters and went to make his report to Papa. He grinned though, as the door closed behind him, hearing Sage's vibrant voice ringing out in a fairly original curse and Radditz's purr throbbing loudly in the background.

 

 

 

To be continued….