Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Birth of a Prince ❯ A Conversation ( Chapter 34 )

Part 34 A Conversation

Outside in the generous expanse of the Capsule Corp play yard, Gohan sat with Sage in the sandbox. The chibi was scooping up handfuls of sand and dropping it in his hair, chuckling as it trickled down his neck under his shirt, presumably to end up in his diaper.

Nearby, Trunks and Goten were playing on the odd equipment that Dr. Briefs built for the boys. In addition to the usual jungle gyms and swing sets, there were strange contraptions that made sense only to Dr. Briefs and the dynamic duo. Every so often something new would show up in the playground. He never told the boys how it worked, or what it would do, leaving it for them to figure out on their own. He also seemed to have an endless supply of patience when it came to repairing the damage that the demi-Saiyjins did to his gifts.

Gohan glanced at the two chibi's, suspicion glaring in his onyx eyes. The boys were sitting on top of one of the taller contraptions…a vertical maze of pulleys and bars, talking quietly, occasionally glancing towards the main house. He turned his attention back to Sage, who had stopped putting sand in his hair, and was currently trying to put sand in Gohan's shoes.

Gohan grinned and shifted so that his feet were for the moment at least, out of Sage's reach. The baby scrunched his face up, and dug both hands into the sand, coming up with a double handful that after a moment's thought, he held out to Gohan.

Obligingly, Gohan produced a clear bucket and held it out to the tiny Ouji. "Here, fill this up, chukra." Sage obidently released the sand in his fists into the bucket, chortling as he reached for two more handfuls to repeat the procedure.

Abruptly, the chibi paused, and held out chubby arms to the teen. Gohan picked Sage up, secretly thrilling to the sensation of baby arms around his neck, when he got the surprise of his young life. A damp whisper in his ear, the unmistakable chibi voice of the youngest Vegeta, two words that stopped Gohan's heart. "Mine Gohan," said Sage softly.

Gohan blinked as a small velvet tail twined about his arm in a clearly possessive manner. "Mine Gohan," the chibi repeated. And Gohan smiled.

"Yes, indeed little Ouji, your Gohan."

Sage rested his head against Gohan's shoulder for a moment, before demanding to be put down, wiggling and squirming until he got his way. Gohan chuckled and set the baby back down in the sand, watching amusedly as Sage crawled through the large sandbox, pushing a wave of sand before him.

A few minutes later, Goten and Trunks join the two in the sandbox, both of them uncharacteristically quiet.

"What's up brats," asked Gohan cheerfully, grabbing Sage by the back of the diaper and pulling him back into the sandbox.

They fidgeted, nearly in unison, when Trunks who was usually the spokesperson for the pair said, "Gohan…what is going on with my Tousan and Goku-san?"

Gohan thought for a moment, trying to puzzle out how best to explain what was going on to a four and almost five year old. "Well," he said slowly. "Do you remember when I went into heat a couple of months ago?"

"Yes," they said together, grinning.

"And do you remember what Tousan and Ouji-sama talked to you about? About sex and Saiyjin mates?"

Nod.

"Well, Vegeta-sama is claiming our father as his bonded mate. So that they will always be together, and we will be one family."

Goten's reaction is instantaneous. "YATTA!!! Trunks-kun, we get to be brothers!!"

Trunks however looked troubled. "What's the problem Trunks," asked Gohan as he once again snagged an escaping Sage. Sage growled and snapped at Gohan's hand, tiny teeth just grazing the skin as Gohan pulled his hand out of reach.

"What about Kassan?" asked Trunks bluntly.

"I think she's fine with it Trunks," said Gohan soothingly.

Trunks frowned, looking for an instant very like his father. "How do you know," he challenged.

Gohan sighed. Rather then try to explain Bulma's body language and double meanings at the breakfast table earlier, it might be simpler to just take the boys to see her. He said as much to Trunks, omitting the first part, simply asking if he would like to go and talk to his mother about this in person.

A few minutes later, the small group set out across the Capsule Corp compound, heading for the main building which housed Bulma's offices.

Goten tried to lighten his counterpart's mood, but Trunks refused to be distracted. He was very close to his mother, and the thought that she was being pushed out of the way, even by Goku-san was bothering him. He supposed he wouldn't mind it…much at all if as Gohan said, Kassan truly was ok with it…but until he found out for sure…

He looked at Sage, riding contentedly in a loop of Gohan's tail. Oh to be a baby again and not to have to worry about other people…or anything at all. Sage caught his brother's eye and for an instant, a flash of unspoken understanding passed between them. As Trunks was close to their mother, so Sage was close to their father. And Trunks suddenly realized that perhaps Sage wouldn't be so calm if Tousan were doing anything to deliberately push Kassan out of their lives. Well, he thought as Gohan pushed the big double doors of the office building where Kassan had her offices, he would find out soon enough.

The elevator ride never failed to bring a grin to the demi-Saiyjin's faces, but this time Gohan prevented them from pressing EVERY button on the panel, threatening them with death and dismemberment if they so much as looked too hard at the tempting buttons. The doors opened upon a large reception area with three secretaries hard at work, and behind them, the great oak doors that held Bulma's main office.

The four boys padded across the plush blue carpet, heading unerringly for the doors, but were stopped by one of the secretaries, a slender, self-important and very fey gentleman who went by the name Yuki.

"What exactly do you think you are doing up here? This is private property, not a preschool."

Gohan smiled, that disarming, sunny Son smile and replied, "We're here to see Bulma-san, now if you will excuse me."

"I don't think so kiddies," and he reached out and grabbed Trunks who, tired of the asshole standing between him and his mother attempted to go around him. "Bulma-san is a very busy woman and is not to be disturbed by," a wrinkled nose, "children."

The utter silence that followed that statement was ripped to shreds by Sage's growling and spitting.

"Get your goddamn hands off of me," yelled Trunks, and Goten at once leaped to his best friend's aid. Gohan, distracted by the irate chibi, was too busy (or maybe he just didn't want to) to pull Goten off the secretary. Things were just getting interesting when the doors opened, and Bulma walked out into the fray.

"That is ENOUGH," she shouted. There was instant stillness, as she appraised the scene before her. Trunks had stopped in the middle of kicking her newest secretary in the shins and Goten was hanging off of the man's long hair. Gohan was trying to calm a furious Sage, and the rest of the office seemed to be on the edge of their seats, waiting to see how this tussle panned out.

Bulma took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Calmly she turned to her secretary and asked, "What exactly is going on here Yuki? What have you done to royally piss off my children?"

The man paled. He could almost see his job flying out the window as he replied, "Bulma-san…I wasn't aware that they were your children…I…"

"The bastard wouldn't let us in to see you Kassan," interrupted Trunks angrily. The answering spitting yowl from Sage seemed to confirm his brother's statement.

"All right…all of you into my office…march," she ordered, and they obeyed, leaving a very shaken Yuki to wonder if he was still employed.

As the doors closed behind them, Bulma turned and nearly fell over as Trunks launched himself at her.

"What's the matter Trunks," she asked.

"GohansaidtousanandGokusanarebondingandwhataboutyouandTousanbuth esaidyouwereokwithitareyou?" said Trunks all in one breath, his voice muffled by Bulma's shirt.

It took Bulma a few minutes to sort out what Trunks had said, but when she did, she picked him up and carried him over to her desk and cuddled him in her lap.

"Chibi, it is true that your father and Goku-san are going to be bonded mates. And Gohan is correct…I AM fine with it. In fact, I am very happy for them."

Trunks seemed to think about that. "But Kassan," he said finally. "What about you and Tousan? I mean…"

"Your father and I and Goku-san will all live at Capsule Corp. Really Trunks, nothing will change. We will all be one family, under one roof…you'll just have three parents instead of two." She smiled at her eldest son. "I'll tell you what…I'll order lunch and you all can ask me whatever questions you have, ne?" The suggestion was met with enthusiasm and Bulma picked up her phone and cancelled all of her engagements for that day, citing family business and ordered a lunch large enough to satisfy three hungry demi-Saiyjins. She also placed a discreet call to the main house, telling Vegeta not to worry, that she had the children, and they would be home after a few hours…and to enjoy the break while he had it. She hung up on his colorful cursing, chuckling to herself and turned to her children…all four of them.

"Now…who has a question for me?"

It was late in the afternoon when the group made its way back to the main house. Gohan carried both a sleeping Sage and a tired and whiny Goten in his arms. Trunks walked with his mother, his hand clasped in hers quiet, but happy.

The opened the kitchen door to light and delicious smells as Mrs. Briefs flitted around the kitchen cooking dinner. The red light was on over the gravity room door, indicating that it was in use and at a dangerous level to normal people. Gohan set Goten down and he and Trunks immediately pestered the older woman for snacks, which she was only too happy to provide, telling them to take their cookies to the table please.

Bulma watched as Gohan carried her youngest son upstairs to put him to bed for a brief nap, watched Goten and Trunks scuffling over the largest cookie on the plate, took in the smells of the cooking food, and the glare of the red light over the gravity room door…

This was how life was going to be from now on…this was her family. She smiled as the light flicked off and two sweaty and half naked-Saiyjins walked out of the gravity room, sniffing the air hopefully.

"Dinner will be ready in half an hour," said her mother, anticipating their as yet unspoken question. "Plenty of time to get showered and cleaned up." Goku grinned and caught sight of Bulma. He walked over to his best friend and picked her up in a huge bear hug.

"Thank you," he whispered into her ear, and as he set her down, she noticed an odd wound on his neck where it met his shoulder. Glancing at Vegeta, she wasn't surprised to see a matching mark marring his skin. Grinning like a fool, she shoved Goku towards the stairs. "Go…take your husband and wash…you both reek." And ignoring the Ouji's shout of outrage, she walked down the hall to her workshop.

She sat at her computer, feeling entirely happy. She considered calling Yamcha and arranging a date for later…but somehow that didn't seem like the right thing to do. Her eyes fell over a picture, half hidden by blueprints and folders…it had been taken the day that Sage had been born, and she suddenly realized that that day, had changed the course of her family forever. Birth of a prince indeed…that day had begun the birth of an entire family…a family that finally had come together in the best possible way. And if the past three months were anything to go by…she could only imagine what the future would bring. Humming softly to herself, she put the picture back where it belonged and immediately lost herself in her latest project, the sounds of her family surrounding her, the angry screech of Sage waking up alone…yes, this was how it was meant to be.

~~~Owari~~~

Never fear…twill be continued in the next series…which currently has no name…but here are a few hints…will there be a wedding, a honeymoon? Just when do Trunks and Goten start school, and how do they end up in the same grade? Vegeta has a birthday surprise for Kakkarott, and you will NEVER guess what it is!! All this and much much more, in Chibi Tails to come and the next series…Princeling, currently stalled in chapter one damnit ….*sighs* I didn't plan on ending BOAP here…it ended itself!! Any suggestions for names and the next series will be appreciated of course!!! Tell me what you want, and I'll see if my boi's are ready and willing!!!

Talon