Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Birth of a Prince ❯ Nighttime Wanderings ( Chapter 15 )

Part 15 Nighttime wanderings

It was quiet for a change, in the living quarters of Capsule Corps. Vegeta and Bulma had talked, yelled, shouted, hurled insults, and come to an understanding. They were currently sleeping curled up together in Bulma's bedroom. Goku had eaten the Briefs out of house and home….well he would have if Bulma hadn't been prepared for the onslaught of Saiyjins and demi-Saiyjins, and was currently snoring quietly in a guest room. Goten and Trunks had run themselves into the ground, eaten a huge amount of dinner and had collapsed in front of the television later, a tangle of arms, legs and tails. Goku had simply gathered the two boys in his arms and carried them up to Trunks' room, settling them gently into to the bed where they were currently still tangled together. Sage was currently….wide awake. He was quiet though, sitting up and considering, watching the shadows of the trees outside play across his walls as the light from the moon and the Capsule Corp complex filtered in through partially closed curtains

It was a mistake to think though, that because he was quiet, that he was happy. Quite the opposite was true in fact. Sage was lonely. He could feel the subdued ki's of everyone in the house, sleeping and content. And everyone, save Baka was with someone else. The minute ki's of his grandparent's were snuggled together, deep in slumber. Big brother and Goten were tangled in a chibi heap, their ki's intermingling. His kassan and tousan even were together; Sage frowned. That didn't seem quite right somehow. He considered throwing a temper tantrum; that would get tousan in here quickly. But he hesitated. Tousan was so comfy, and he had been so upset earlier, Sage didn't want to wake him if he didn't have to. After all, he was only lonely, not wet or hungry. Sage gulped a little. Being lonely was enough, he thought.

Sage glared at the bars of his crib, as though a venomous chibi stare could blast them away into dust. He sighed, realizing that he was going to have to do this the hard way, not even sure if he could manage what he had in mind. He thought back to earlier, he had climbed in the carry-pouch, and then later climbed up tousan's arm. But these bars went straight up. He glared again, though this time in concentration, his face eerily like his father's, and grasped two of the bars with chubby hands, tail reaching around and up over one of his hands to wind around the crib bar. With a rumble of effort, Sage pulled himself into a standing position, wobbly, but standing. He quickly readjusted his tail so that it wound around the top crossbar of his crib, and PULLED with all his might with both his arms and tail. He had underestimated his strength. He found himself clinging to the top of the crib rail, momentarily stunned. Well, he thought to himself, it's now or never. His tail reached out again, this time settling on a bar, on the outside of the crib. He let his tail guide him, until he was sliding quicker than he would have liked down the outside of the crib. He lost his grip and fell with a thump, landing on his backside, and flopping over, temporarily losing his balance.

He lay there for a moment, wondering if he should cry about it or not. It didn't really hurt THAT much, but….he really wanted someone now. No, he decided, he wasn't gonna cry. Tousan said he was a prince, and probably princes didn't cry over little bumps like that. He set his sights on his original destination: the nursery door. Inching slowly over the carpet took all his concentration, and he almost didn't notice that he had reached his objective. Pausing to rest, he wondered which way to go. If he went to the right, all the way down the hall was Mama's room, where she and papa were sleeping. Papa's room was that way too, but it was closer. Sage frowned. But it was empty. If he went left, towards the stairs, there was Trunks' room, where he and Goten were, a few doors down. Then there was a bathroom, and then the guest rooms started. Baka was in the first one, thought Sage. I think.

Sage sighed. He really wanted his tousan, but it was such a long way. Baka wasn't tousan, but he was most as good. He smelled yummy, and while his purr wasn't as nice and deep as tousan's was, it was still pleasantly rumbly. And Baka always felt so nice. He was….Sage searched for a good word….snuggly. And, thought the chibi suddenly, he was all alone too. That made his mind up.

He meticulously inched his way down the hall, pausing at his brother's door, to listen to the light breathing within, and then continued, past the dimly lit bathroom, and finally, fists and elbows sore from the effort, he found himself outside of Baka's door. It was closed. Sage almost DID cry then as he sat up and bashed the door with his little fists…and then fell over backwards (anime style) as the door opened soundlessly. Sage inched his way forward again, peering around the door frame. There…over in the corner was the bed. He couldn't quite see on top of it from his vantage point on the floor, but he could smell Baka's delicious scent, and hear his even breaths as he snored gently.

Sage crept silently across the room. He was getting very tired, and just wanted to go back to sleep. Almost there, he thought to himself, determinedly.

At last he reached the edge of the bed. He was about to try and pull himself standing, when he noticed Baka's tail was hanging over the edge of the bed, nearly brushing the floor, tip twitching slightly as the Saiyjin dreamed. Instinctively, Sage grabbed the velvet limb tightly with both hands. He gasped as Baka snorted and jerked his tail back up on the bed, carrying a startled Sage with it. He lost his grip and crashed heavily onto Baka's stomach.

The big man opened one eye in sleepy surprise as the chibi tried to orient himself.

"Sage, what are you doing here," he yawned.

Sage's response was to reach his arms up the bare chest and whimper slightly.

"Lonely, were you chukra?" Baka's voice was amused. "Determined little fellow, like your father, ne?" He picked up the exhausted baby, and cuddling him to his warm chest, began to purr. Sage's eyes drooped, and even as he began a tiny purr in response, he fell asleep, content at last, and alone no longer.

To be continued….