Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Downward Spiral ❯ Chapter Eighteen ( Chapter 18 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter Eighteen

A/N: Apologies on the lateness of the update. I'm hoping to have the next chapter up shortly but the thing is I've lost my plan so I'm not sure what was supposed to happen, so I might need some extra time to rewrite a plan (that's also why this chapter's mostly improvisation, so I hope that it's okay).

Okay, he couldn't still be doing it, could he? After all, not even Goku could be that annoying, and no one could stare at another person for over an hour without developing insanity or sheer boredom. No. He was probably watching the television or the kids playing or even Bulma working. Hell, he might even be asleep but no way could he still be staring . . .

With slight trepidation Vegeta opened his tired eyes.

Goku was simply sitting peacefully in the large leather armchair of one of the many living rooms of Capsule Corps, his whole body seemed relaxed and casual as his legs trailed over the arm and his arms crossed behind his head as he yawned. He looked so child-like right then, but he still held the same subtle beauty that Vegeta had grown to love. He seemed to be refreshed from his long nap and content just sitting there, but his eyes - his eyes were cold, empty and void of emotion.

They weren't the eyes of the Saiyan who sacrificed his life to destroy his evil brother, or who fought against Freeza to save a planet or the same man who Vegeta had fell in love with.

They were the eyes of a Saiyan warrior and they were staring right at him, perhaps even through him.

Vegeta shuddered.

So for over an hour he really hadn't broken his glare once? Great, he'd never seen the man so furious or upset before, what was he meant to do? He couldn't console him unless he knew what he had done wrong, and he seemed fine (well within reason) at Chi's, so why was he suddenly acting like this for?

Sighing deeply he shifted in his seat, it was hard to get comfortable when you're every move is being watched and monitored, trying to ignore the constant looks he decided to shift his attentions to the rest of the room. He could make out Goten and Trunks across the room huddled over a desk, arguing about their homework and trying to work out a plan to sneak out to the arcade with no one noticing, and then there was Gohan reading alone by the fire, and Bulma and Piccolo were engaged in conversation by the doorway.

Everyone was acting so normal, so relaxed, so happy.

It was just an ordinary day and everyday life for everyone here, and if he thought about it long enough he'd have to admit too that perhaps it was just a typical morning. The sun outside was burning bright and he could feel it warming his arm as the rays shone through the windows, and not a single cloud was the sky to obstruct his view of the atmosphere. So why was Goku the only one not enjoying himself? Why was his usual perky demeanour suddenly cold and aloof? Above all else, why was he staring at Vegeta like this?

God damn it!

This was starting to get really, really frustrating! His hand moved over his stomach gently as he sensed the new ki coming from inside, it was reassuring but not enough to ease his paranoia and curiosity. Goku loved him, right? So why was he glaring at him like this? It wouldn't be so bad but at the minute Vegeta couldn't even sense anything through their bond, so either Goku had learnt to control it (which wasn't likely) or he was just plain weak from the cub stealing his energy.

He stole a glance to his left and saw that the person who was previously staring at him still was. This was too much! If he had something to say why didn't he just say it? Only a weakling, two-faced coward would hide what they felt like this, anyone in their right mind would stop being so childish and get everything off their chest, even Trunks was more mature than this!

“What!” Vegeta snapped.

“Huh?” Goku gazed at him with bright eyes, the former fire had become extinguished and he seemed much like his usual loving self again. He gave a bright smile and scratched at his neck nervously. “What do you mean `what'?”

“What the Hell are you staring at, Kakarott?”

He watched as Goku jumped slightly, as if he wasn't expecting anyone to notice his rather obvious staring, but then just as soon as the shock flooded his system it went and pain, despair and disappointment replaced it and covered his face. He gazed at the floor uncertainly with his eyes clouded over yet still bright and alive.

“Goku, what's wrong? Have I done something to upset you?”

“Well, yeah! You have actually `Geta.”

“Are you going to tell me what it is or will you just stare at me some more and give me the silent treatment? I might as well be back on Planet Vegeta with the attitude you're giving me.”

He gave a soft sigh and glanced at Vegeta with a mixture of annoyance and pain. He would have assumed the reason he was so upset was pretty obvious, I mean, any normal person would have known what was wrong, right?

“`Geta. I know when you were throwing those flowers the other day it was because your friend lost their child, you trusted me enough to tell me that and I was pretty grateful, it's nice that you can trust me I mean. It's just though that when we were at Chi-Chi's you said that it was Raditz that happened to. My brother! Were - were you just lying or got the names mixed up or something, or as that really my brother that lost the child to Freeza?”

Vegeta grunted. He waited till now to ask him this? They'd been back home all day, plenty of opportunities to talk or to listen to one another, why the Hell did he wait till now to decide to ask Vegeta about things? He spent about half the day sleeping and then an hour simply staring at him, he could have brought this up at any time, why wait until they were in a room with their families?

Not that anyone was listening of course; they all had more important things to deal with. Whether it was the boys with their homework, or Bulma trying to ask Piccolo a bunch of questions about his relationship with Gohan before her baby daughter cried for attention, they all had things to do and deal with. But even though none of them were really interested in what was happening, if Goku got upset or angry they would turn their attentions to the two of them. Goku was bound to get angry, wasn't he? What would he do when they all began to stop what they were doing and focus on him?

“Yes, it was Raditz.”

“What?” Goku simply went back to staring at Vegeta, but this time with a look of disgust that made Vegeta want to reach for the blade one more time. The look on his face just made him feel total guilt and pain, did he do something wrong? No. So if Goku wanted to hate him for this then let him, he'd either stay regardless or leave him and prove that Vegeta was doomed to be alone forever. “Why the hell didn't you tell me? You had to leave it till then to spring it on me? God `Geta, that was hardly an appropriate time to let me know!”

“Goku, keep your voice down, the others will end up coming over else. I didn't mean to let Raditz name slip then, I had no intentions of you ever finding out so it wasn't as if I let you know on purpose, I'm sorry for you finding out that way.”

“What do you mean? You were never going to tell me?”

“No, I wasn't Goku. Raditz swore Nappa and I to secrecy, he wished for no one to ever know and no one ever did, I planned on respecting his wishes - especially now that our home planet is back and your family that have been brought back could find out. Besides, things were never that simple - there were complications and unforeseen events, things that happened afterwards that made the whole topic much more impossible to deal with than it should have been.”

“I don't understand, how could things be any worse than what they were? How complicated could they get! It seems pretty simple to me.”

“Does it really matter? Even if I could I wouldn't tell you, why unnecessarily upset you about the past and the brother who you were forced to betray?”

“Because I have a right to know, `Geta!” Goku shook his head violently, there were tears in his eyes but his face was a mask of hundreds of emotions, it was impossible to tell what was going on in his mind or heart. Through the bond all Vegeta could pick up was a mixture of feelings of betrayal and confusion. “He was my brother, my brother! I had a right to know all of that.”

“I'm sorry.”

“Yeah,”

“I mean it Goku, I really am.”

Giving a bright smile he stood up and walked across to the sofa that Vegeta was lying on, his eyes were still full of tears but they were full of love and respect, lying down by Vegeta he hugged him tightly and sighed. He could feel Vegeta inevtiably warm and relax against him. “Yeah, I know. Forget about it, okay? I don't want to think about it - but promise me, if there's anything more to this story that I need to know you'll tell me?”

“I promise, but there's nothing you need to know. There is much more to the story but nothing that you need worry about.” He could feel Goku smile as he nuzzled against his neck and rolled his eyes, he didn't mind that he was so sentimental but just two minutes ago he was furious with him, he changed his emotions more than the changing of the seasons.

Goku glanced across the room to Trunks, Goten and Gohan and gave a soft laugh, it confused Vegeta a little but not that he'd admit to it. It was then he felt Goku's hand running over his stomach and relaxed a little.

“So Vegeta! Which one of us is going to tell them about their new baby brother or sister?”

“You spent the last hour angry at me and now you're feeling great and want to tell them all about what's going on with us?” He placed his hand on Goku's and held him gently.

“I wasn't angry at you! I love you, I was just upset you never told me the truth that's all, but anyway I was just asking because they have a right to know after all, I mean Bulma and Chi already know, and my guess is that Piccolo does because he'd a genius at sensing ki. So you want to tell them?”

“Hell no! I had to tell them we were dating, you can tell them this.”

“Okay then fine.” Goku laughed.

After a few moments of silence Vegeta turned around to face Goku, who was simply lying still with eyes closed and a warm smile on his face. The great, big baka couldn't be asleep could he? Damn it! He just made a deal about telling people and now he was sleeping?

“Kakarott! I thought you wanted to tell them?”

“Yeah, but it's nice just lying here with you. Can I tell them later?”

“Sure.” Vegeta gave a smile before relaxing into Goku's embrace. A little longer wouldn't make a difference, right?