Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Four Star Dragonball ❯ Let's Go Fishing! ( Chapter 8 )

Pairing: Vegeta x Goku
Warning: Suicide, Sex, and Violence! There's a nice ring to that.
Disclaimer: Don't own it. Wish I did. Then I'd use the dragonballs to kick some ass. I hope I'm not stealing anything from anyone. I know that's a scare lately. I don't read much so my ideas may already be written. Sorry.

Four Star Dragonball
Chapter Eight: Let's Go Fishing!

Goku laid out on a grassy hill near his house on Mt. Paozu. He had stupidly taken all of his medication and left none in case he survived. He sure could use a couple of pills now. Not that it mattered. Those pills were just a lie, tricking his brain to forget the perpetual unhappiness that would continue to follow him no matter the change.

He guessed it was Bulma that had found him dying in the bathroom and brought him back to life. Vegeta would have just stood by his carcass, a big victorious smile upon his face, possibly even trying to prevent anyone from resuscitating him. It was the prince that hurt Goku the most. Despite numerous times shared together, he could not seem to befriend the royal Saiyan. Another battle lost.

He wondered where he got the idea in the first place. It seemed that Vegeta would be the ideal companion for him. They were the last two full-blooded Saiyan alive, so that meant a mutual understanding about each other. Too strong to fight anyone else, they depended on one other for a worthwhile battle. Depended on each other to continue to live. No one else would put up with an eat-sleep-train schedule.

Chichi certainly didn't like him fighting all the time, he chuckled. She didn't like a lot of the things he did. She was always yelling at him for one thing or another, treating him as if he were one of her sons. Eventually it got old and he spent more and more time away from the house, that is, until she fell ill. When noticing the absence of her screeching he got worried. Then he realized how comforting it was to have someone by his side, even if the attention he got was negative. He held onto her as long as he could, completely unprepared to face the world alone.

He watched the cloud drift by, the sun set. His stomach growled furiously having not been fed all day. He might as well catch a fish or two-there was no sense in starving himself (a most torturous death for Son Goku). Kicking his boots off, he jumped up and turned in the direction of the stream of his childhood, then froze. There, standing a few yards away from him was the prince of Saiyans.

"Ah, Vegeta…?" he called out hesitantly.

The other Saiyan chose not to reply and walked toward him, his features unreadable. He wore his normal blue workout suit so Goku figured he might like to spar, even though it was understood that he could not fight well at the moment. He didn't know what to think. He had told the prince that he hated him, maybe now he wanted to bash his skull in for it. Well, if he died, he died. He just didn't care anymore.

The prince paused just before the other man then bowed his head. "Kakarotto, I…"

"Vegeta, if you're going to kill me, just do it. I won't stop you," Goku said, looking away. "I'm sorry I tried to cheat you out of it earlier. You've wanted to for so long; here's your chance. Go ahead. You know I'm weaker than you now." He smiled bitterly, "I really am a third-class fool-I couldn't even kill myself right."

Slowly, the prince brought his hand up from his side and reached out to the taller man's face. Yet as he leaned in, Goku shoved him back; preventing the kiss Vegeta was going for.

"No. No more games, Vegeta! You've already beaten me," the larger Saiyan cried. His vision blurred with tears and his face reddened with shame. "No more toying with me! Your dirty trick has finally broken me. You've won, Vegeta! You cause me more pain than I thought I could ever feel from one person; worse than my wife!"

With that said, Goku's fist sailed into the shorter man's jaw, snapping his head back. Goku blinked at his own actions, wondering where that strength came from.

"You really are an idiot," Vegeta whispered as the other Saiyan's ki plummeted, "if you think that I'm merely toying with you. I assure you that I am quite serious." He brought his head back and gazed into Goku's eyes. "Kakarotto."

"S-Serious?" the taller man parroted, for lack of reply.

Vegeta smirked and brushed passed him. He stopped and stared out over the mysterious land of Mount Paozu. "This will do."

"Huh?"

"You're ready to spar again, aren't you?" the prince barked over his shoulder.

Goku scratched the back of his head and looked in awe at the other fist that had left a near imprint on Vegeta's face. It had been a long time since he used such power. Did the prince have anything to do-

"Are we going to fight or not?!" the shorter man growled and started powering up.

Goku smiled. "Okay…" He tentatively called upon his energy that lay dormant for so long and was surprised it came to him so easily. Wave after wave of ki flooded his body, making his fingers tingle, ruffling his hair. A whole new appreciation for his power grew, warming his once deprived, withered soul.

Suddenly he felt like his old self; stupid-smiling Son Goku, hero of Earth-a feeling only comparable to executing his first kamehameha blast as a kid. He brought his hands together and chanted those familiar words, taking delight in the raw bluish light that gathered within his fingers. With a quick glance toward Vegeta, he thrust his arms forward, expelling the sphere of ki at the prince.

He watched the shorter man not move to avoid the blast, but rather grapple with it, testing the force behind it, admiring the signature attack he had witnessed so many years. The power was apparently strong for Vegeta soon pushed it towards the sky, avoiding the searing heat under his white gloves. Looking back to the origin of the ki, a tiny thrill raced up Vegeta's spine as he once again saw the terrifying transition of congenial smile to a deadly smirk that matched his own. The battle had begun.

Both Saiyans flickered out of sight at inhuman speed; Vegeta going for a ki-enhanced right punch, Goku dodging and bringing up his left foot to counter. The prince anticipated the move and welcomed the other's leg with open arms. Grabbing it and twisting sharply, Goku spun twice before using the momentum to sink his fist into Vegeta's unguarded stomach.

"You'll be sorry for that one," the prince hissed.

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Sparring was just what a Saiyan doctor would have ordered-Goku felt nearly one hundred percent better. Using his natural strength to pummel the prince without the worry of causing permanent damage was incredibly uplifting. The instinct of battle took over his senses, making him temporarily forget any other thought except that of the fight. The only pain was that in his chest, not from a bleeding heart but of a few broken ribs.

After landing a particularly harsh cuff to Vegeta's head, Goku took the precious few milliseconds to wipe away some of the blood and sweat that stung his eye. Blinking clear once again he then prepared to charge the prince once more, but stopped short. Behind him he felt two familiar ki-Trunks and Goten!

"Daddy!" the youngest Son flew into his arms at crushing speed.

Trunks paused near his father. "We felt your ki rise. I tried to stop him, allow your space, you know, but Goten was unstoppable." He blushed. "Really, you are too old to do that. You're making such a scene."

"I don't care! My dad is back!" Goten choked out a sob between fistfuls of his father's tattered clothing.

"Goten…" Trunks whined, highly embarrassed by such a display of emotion. Vegeta smacked the back of his son's head and glared his disapproval. Trunks lowered his eyes.

"You're squeezing the life out of me, son," Goku laughed and pried the teen's arms off of him. Sensing the boy's overpowering need for reassurance, Goku wiped away his tears and enveloped him into an embrace. "I missed you, too."

"Are you okay now, Daddy?"

The full-blooded Saiyan smiled. "I think I will be now." He rubbed his son's shaggy raven hair.

A rumbling roar erupted between the Sons. Goten beamed, "Yeah, you're really back, Dad!"

"I guess I forgot I was hungry," Goku said with a smile.

"That's a first, I'm sure," Vegeta finally spoke up after a respectable silence. "Go and get dinner prepared for our return, boys."

Goten turned to look at his father once more, slightly fearing he would vanish again. "You'll come, too, won't you, Dad?"

Goku winced as a small shard pierced his heart, but managed a grin anyway. "Of course! I'm starving!" He waved as they flew off, leaving him with Vegeta again.

"That was a quick reunion," the shorter Saiyan commented.

"Maybe you should fight me again," Goku whispered sadly.

Vegeta ignored him. "Time to get cleaned up. Wouldn't want to keep the boys worrying about you."

"All right."

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Goku shifted in his chair. Goten sat on Goku's left and Bura sat on his right. Neither two would leave his side for the whole duration of dinner. Goten came near tears every time the full-blooded Saiyan glanced at him and Bura beamed all of her sunshine when he happened to look in her direction. Bulma was literally at his command, doing practically all but wiping the stray grains of rice off of his chin. Even Vegeta's stolen glances were a bit too often and he had been with the man the whole time! Bulma's mother was actually normally pleasant. The boys informed her that Goku was returning to eat dinner at Capsule Corp so she busied herself with a giant meal. Amazing talent, that woman had, to feed so many Saiyan appetites.

With a smile to his left, Goku marveled the affection that poured off of his son. He had only occasionally appeared in the boy's life, not nearly enough to deserve the phenomenal strength of his love. Yet there he was, crying, crying!, with such happiness he cannot hope to fathom. Why he loved him so much he didn't understand. Goku didn't even know what the boy did other than train.

"Did you train much while I was gone?" he asked between mouthfuls.

Food was forgotten in an instant as Goten answered. "Yeah! I'm almost as strong as Trunks now! We fight everyday after school. Even Vegeta sometimes watches."

Goku glanced at the prince, looking from his plate at the sound of his name.

"That's all he does!" Bulma chimed in. "He'd just wander around the house then watch them fight. Never participate, just look on. Wonder why," she grinned mischievously.

Vegeta curled his lip and narrowed his eyes at the woman.

"Good thing you're here, Goku," she continued. "I think Vegeta's lost without you."

Goku unfortunately caught Bulma's wink and felt his face get a tad warm. The prince squelched a growl and shoved more food into his mouth.

"Kakarotto, will you stay here and play with me and Papa?" Bura chirped.

"No, you dummy! He's got his own house!" Trunks snapped at his little sister.

"But Uncle Goten lives here!" the small girl retorted.

Goku turned to his son, "Oh yeah? Well what do you know?"**

"I've been staying here ever since…" he trailed off. He turned to his father.

He couldn't help it-Goku's face drained of color as his heart was gripped in a vice. He abandoned his youngest without food or shelter and ran off in his grief, thinking of no one but himself and his loss. Shame and regret filled him. He truly was a terrible father.

"Daddy?" Goten whispered.

"Sorry," the tall man abruptly stood and left the table.

Just as he predicted, Vegeta stood also and trailed after him.