Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Bejiita - Unattached ❯ Part 13 - Scar Tissue ( Chapter 13 )

Warnings: Yaoi, rather lemony, lil angsty, steamy, language. Enjoy ^^
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Just using the characters for my own amusement. So don't sue!
| ...words.. | denotes thought.

===

Part 13

A kiss. Two people putting their lips together for a few moments before parting again. The act seems like such a simple thing. Yet it's made so complicated by all the emotion that usual accompanies it. Couldn't even be called a kiss with out it.

Only a kiss could mean nothing and everything at the same time.

A kiss must be far more involved than I realize. Why else would I dwell on it for months on end without rest? How else could it have turned my life upside down? The irony that something so small has the power to undo one of the strongest men I've even known. One was all it took. It was enough to make him forget me. Just one, and he managed to suck out all the love and tenderness Bejiita may have ever felt for me.

Gokuu has far more power than I give him credit for.

Gokuu. A simple name. Only five letters, two syllables. A name that no longer has any place in my heart. A name supplemented by betrayal. A kiss brimming with deep, and secretive passion.

Just a kiss…

===

"Was he there?" Bejiita asks quietly.

"No..." I say, making no secret of my disappointment. Bejiita abandons his food and walks around the solid oak table to put a hand on my shoulder.

"Then I think it's time you saw your son. And it's about damn time I saw mine."

===

As the days past, Kakarotto is more and more himself. But the fact that the loss of his friends hurts him more than any physical blow is still plain to see. I can only imagine what he must be going through. Kakarotto, forever thoughtful, forever kind. He's so used to the respect and adoration of all those around him. The pleasant glow of friendship and understanding has surrounded him all his life. But now that his friends are so cold, is my love enough to keep him warm? Can I really fill the void that all of them combined left in his heart?

I've never really inspired love or camaraderie in others. But in some ways, I suppose I can relate. I had a very... difficult time dealing with the loss of respect, power and sovereignty over an entire race of people when Furiiza all but ruined my life. I've never completely recovered, and it has left a scar that cannot be seen and will never heal.

All I can do is deal with the day to day, and realized that life will go on. I just have to live it. I think he's coming to realize that as well.

===

My sparring session with Goten ended rather early today. It wasn't much of a session really. We exchanged only a few kicks and punches. But even those few blows were halted the instant I mentioned Gokuu. Goten stopped in mid punch and stared at me open mouthed.

"You saw him?!!"

Sometimes Goten forgets that his dad did not disappear off the face of the Earth when Chichi kicked him out. He's very much alive. It's my own father I haven't seen.

"Yea. He was at the barbeque last week. You had a date with Miranda from school that day remember?..." But he hardly seemed to be listening. A look of disappointment at the loss of opportunity clear on his still youthful face. I went on.

"He seemed really happy. But I could tell he was missing something..."

"He misses you.."

Goten hangs his head. "I miss him. Mom does too..."

Chichi missing him was still surprising to me, but at the same time, expected. I look at Goten's bowed head sadly.

"I think we should go see them. It's been long enough."

Goten perks up. "But I don't know where they live, and I really suck at pin pointing ki now..."

Truth be told, we both sucked. We sparred less and less, in favor of video games, work, comic books, and goofing off. Dad would not be pleased, I think to myself with a smirk.

"I think I can figure out where they live. If not, we'll just keep lookin' until we find them!" I grab my startled friend by the arm and take off into the air.

===

We arrive at what I hoped to be their place sooner than I thought we would. After another minute of flying we spot a small house among a thick overgrowth of trees near a small lake.

"Is that it? How can you be sure? I mean why this house, and this forest?" Goten asked.

"Mama said when she first met Gokuu he was living in a small house in this area. That house there matches the description she gave me. This used to be his grandpa Gohan's house. I just remembered it!" I smile triumphantly.

Goten gives me a thumbs up as we land a few hundred feet from the house to walk the rest of the way. The grass is tall, the sky is clear, and the air is fresher. It's an over all beautiful day, but as we near the house, I begin to feel oddly anxious. As does Goten.

| I know I haven't seen him in a while, but it's just Dad. No biggie right? |

"What should I say...?" Goten asks scratching the back of his head, looking just like his father.

| Good question..|

"Well how 'bout 'hi'?" I say as we reach the door. I knock a couple of times then just let myself in. Eagerness overwhelming manners.

"Papa!! Gokuu!!" I yell hoping they'll respond, and to quell the suspicions that I had rudely waltzed into a stranger's house uninvited.

"Eh?" we hear from down the hall. We followed the voice until we luckily found Gokuu. Found him exactly where you'd expect him to be. In the kitchen, head in the fridge. He's still the same old Gokuu at heart, I think with a smile. Goten walks up behind me.

"Hey Gokuu s--OOPH!"

"Daddy!!" Goten yelled and knocked me over, and nearly gave Gokuu a heart attack when he launched himself full force at his dad and hugged him nearly to death. I'll never forget the look on Gokuu's face, or the size of his eyes when Goten knocked the wind out of him.

They lie on the floor hugging as we all laugh hysterically, previous anxiousness and unease completely forgotten. But all the while I kept wondering where Dad was.

"Gokuu san... I don't mean to interrupt but..." I begin as they stand up, brushing off their clothes and regaining their composure. "Where's... Pa-"

"Right here." he says behind me as he puts a hand on my shoulder.

I didn't even hear him come in! I turn around to find him smiling. The kind of smile I rarely get to see. One arm on my shoulder, the other one holding the largest fish I've ever seen. His clothes are still a little wet. He must have had to wrestle with it before he caught it. I didn't even know he liked to fish! I have a feeling there are a lot of things about him I've missed. He seems so care free now, and I find myself smiling as well.

"Hey Papa!"

He drops the fish on the table; amazingly it did not break, and pulls me into a hug; taking me by surprise. He's hugged me before, but I'm still not used to public displays of affection from him. I can't help but blush like a little kid and hug him back. His clothes smell of the lake and warm sunshine.

"P..Papa...! Mou!...You're...emba..rassing me..!" I say laughing and trying in vain to hide my red face. He only laughs and pats me on the back a few times. Gokuu and Goten had already started talking again by the time we part. Gokuu was giving Goten a tour of the house. It was his and my first time here. It wasn't very big but there was still a lot to see. It was surprisingly clean yet lived in. Even though he'd only been living here a few months, it already had Dad all over it. Gokuu walked passed us to the table and the gigantic fish.

"We'll go get started on dinner," he says as he hauls the sizable fish off the table. He stops in mid step to give Papa a quick peck on the cheek and walks out of the house. I think it's cool that he's so comfortable around us. I know not everyone's very... accepting of this sort of thing.

Dad walks past me towards the door and signals for me to follow.

"We have some catching up to do," he says over his shoulder.

===

We spent that any many days afterwards together. Fishing, sparring, relaxing, just talking, whatever. Sometimes just the two of us, sometimes with Goten and Gokuu. Goten and I always visited them together. Just one of us going seemed wrong somehow. Even though we're all friends, Goten or I not being there at the same time seemed like one person would be the 'odd man out' so to speak. Not that it was a problem. I can barely remember the times when Goten wasn't around anyway.

Oddly enough I saw more of my father now that he lived in a different house than when we lived together. He was happier here too. More at ease. He smiled more often now than maybe in his whole life. One could take his being happier away from mama and I as a bad thing, but I don't. I didn't complain in the least, I'm just glad that he's happy, and still a part of my life.

Instead of things getting worse after his and mom's break up, they seemed better.

===

Goten and I went to see them again today. I was wondering if maybe we were becoming a nuisance. But Gokuu quickly dismissed that. I'm sure they missed us as much as we missed them.

We fly over a little bit earlier today. We planned to spar and wanted to get in as many day light hours as possible. When we arrive, again we just let ourselves in. The house was a little quiet still, though I could smell something cooking from the kitchen, the heart of the house as far as Dad and Gokuu were concerned.

Then we heard a 'thump.' Goten and I looked at each other before taking off our shoes and walking down the hall to where the delicious smelling food was being made. Even though something was cooking, the room seemed... unnaturally warm.

"Unn..nnh."

A low, barely audible moan crept past my ears. Somehow I still recognized it as Papa's voice. He and mom were always so loud. I turn to Goten, heat bubbling up to my face. Even though I don't see them, I have a pretty vivid idea of what's going on.

"I think we should g-.."

"Don't you know how to knock boy?"

I finally spot Dad on the floor near the table, straddling Gokuu's hips, and pinning his wrists to the floor with his hands. Goku makes absolutely no movement to break free as his head lolls to the side. He stares back at me. His eyes barely open and unfocused, his face, scarlet, his chest rising and falling quickly. Luckily their clothes were still on. I don't hold eye contact for more than an instant. Feeling like I've witnessed something I really should not have. Something really private. Something unnerving...

"We're going..." I say hastily and turned to leave. Sweat pricking my skin. Goten keeps stealing glances at them over his shoulder.

"Don't stare!" I whisper harshly at him, and fight the urge to look myself.

"Come back in about an hour," Dad said to my retreating back in a voice much deeper than the one he uses for speaking.

I heard a deep inhalation of breathe, and a hiss. I'm not sure if it was Dad or Gokuu under him. Not that it mattered.

"Better make it two..."

===

Eventually we did get to spar that day, though they seemed a little sluggish, even tired. Dad seemed absolutely drained. His ki shot through the roof twice today. Gokuu's, thrice. I shook my head. Being able to read ki again tells me more information than I really want to know.

But at the same time, I took all this as a blessing in disguise, because it meant I wouldn't get my ass kicked so badly this time.

===

The long day came to an end and I hugged Papa again before Goten and I said our goodbyes.

I fly home quickly tonight. Full of energy and pep. Training was starting to pay off. I fought harder, and got tired less. I fly even faster, not just because I can, but to escape the chill in the air. The days were still hot, but the nights got surprisingly cool.

I arrive home in half the normal time and fly in right through the window, not bothering to use the front door as usual. I hear noises from the kitchen for the second time today. But the noises of food being made, not love.

"Probably mom" I say to myself. It's then that my stomach picks to remind me to put something in it. I hadn't eaten much today. I round the corner to the kitchen. Mom is there just as I expected, fixing a sandwich and fruit salad. She seems calmer today. The lines that had developed around her mouth and eyes after Dad departed were less pronounced today.

"Hey mama!" I say and hug her from behind.

"Oh! I didn't hear you come in! How was your da-" She stops in mid sentence and turns around to look me dead in the eye.

"You saw him didn't you?" She said just above a whisper. A harsh whisper. As if I'd done something wrong. I knew exactly who she meant. She rarely referred to Dad by his name anymore, but I always knew anyway.

"But how did you know?"

"I can smell his cologne on you... I didn't know he took it with him... when he left..."

"...It was my favorite..." she finished. The light seemed to bleed out of her eyes as she said this. It hurt to even look at her. I was always afraid to bring up Dad around her, and for good reason. It still bothers here much more than I realize. Like an open wound that just refuses to heal.

I don't know what to say. No words could bring back Dad, erase the hurt, or mend her broken heart.

"I'm sorry Mama..."

"You haven't done anything wrong," she says looking down at the counter. "But I think I need some time alone." She grabs her food, knife, fork, and glass of O.J. before padding silently up the stairs to her room.

Maybe some time and space is the best medicine.

After a few hours I no longer hear the T.V. on in her room. I decide to peak in and see if she finally relaxed enough to fall asleep. Luckily she had. I walk over quietly as to not wake her from her hard earned slumber. I move to pick up the dirty dishes, and plates and things to bring them to the kitchen. As I come closer I realize she's only finished half of her sandwich. She still slept with Dad's pinstripe suit clutched in one hand, and to my horror, had carved the words "just a kiss" in her skin with the knife she'd used to cut the fruit.

A lump forms in my throat.

I thought she was getting better...

TBC

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