Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Goten No Sakura ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

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

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Moreears later

2 years later

POV: Goten

-:-

After the groundhog's prediction of an early Spring, the ground had thawed during a tempestuous March, and all of nature had come alive again, fresh and green for a tempered Spring and Summer.

Henceforth, Vegeta quietly kept to himself, Goten noticed. When he was not training alone or sparring with Goku, he either played with Bra, or stayed in his room with a book or the television.

He knew what was best for himself (well, usually), Goten figured, yet he could not help feeling responsable and concerned.

He trode lightly across a rolling meadow not far from the Sons' home, where small rabbits and squirrels hopped through long, windswept grass and wildflowers, until he stood near his father, who was doing handstand push-ups.

"Hey, Dad," he greeted, watching him pause in a handstand with perfect balance.

"Oh, hey, Goten," Goku replied cheerfully, "Would you like to spar this afternoon?"

"Sure," Goten accepted, "But I'd like to talk to you first, if you don't mind."

Flawlessly, Goku handsprung to his feet. "What's on your mind?"

Goten felt self-consciously small standing next to Goku, though his family assured him that he would catch up in time. "Actually, I mean Vegeta-san," he specified, "I know he won't talk to anyone, but maybe you can tell something, since you guys spar all the time."

Goku considered his youngest, having noticed that he no longer addressed the prince as 'uncle'. Perhaps the demi Saiyan was just impatient to grow up. "Do you think something's wrong?" he inquired.

"I'm not sure, just different. Quiet." Goten shaded his eyes, looking to the West as though he could see as far.

"Hm." Goku tilted his head in thought. "You mean since the blizzard?" He'd heard an abriged version of the incident from Videl, but considered it not so deeply.

Goten hesitated, then nodded, scuffing his shoes.

"You did the right thing," Goku affirmed confidently, "But if they got some personal conflict going on, that's not our business."

"Yeah, I know, but he acts like he's mad at me or something," he explained, "I thought maybe you could just… I don't know, pay attention. You might notice something."

Well accustomed to his old comrade's moodiness, Goku blinked, not considering quiet to be problematic. Then again… "I'll see what I can do," he promised, "Go get changed, so we can get some practice in before it rains."

Goten looked up at the cloudless blue sky promised by the forecast, but headed back to the house, knowing his father's weather sense to be spot on. He was as unsuspectedly sharp about many things, which was why he'd asked.

Direct questions did not often go over well with Vegeta, he reflected as he walked back, again wondering why it perturbed him so.

The last time he'd been at Capsule Corp to train with him and Trunks, he'd tried.

Having waited until they were out of earshot afterward, he'd approached the fullblooded Saiyan to politely ask, "Is everything okay, Vegeta-san?"

The latter had paused. "Yeah, why?" he'd asked, puzzled.

"You just seem… thoughtful," Goten had replied diplomatically, to which the former had rolled his eyes.

"Only a Son would see thinking as a bad sign," he'd replied dryly, adding, "You should try it sometime," as he'd walked away, clearly unaware of how much he did think.

So he lacked credibility, Goten resigned. As much as it irked him to ask his father's assistance, the prince saw him as an equal, and Goten was strangely determined to find out. Then again, as far as strange thoughts went, that was nothing.

-:-

POV: Goku

True to his word, Goku quietly kept his eyes peeled during his and Vegeta's usual three times' weekly sparring. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, as that was when both Saiyans were the most content.

It was time to push him out of his comfort zone, Goku thought when they'd finished one day, satisfactorily bruised, scraped, and sweaty beneath the pitiless summer sun.

He looked down at what was left of his tunic. "ChiChi's gonna be pissed," he commented with a sheepish grin, "She just sewed this up, but… it's dead."

"It sucks to be you," Vegeta replied with an amused smirk, an expression he'd picked up from Trunks and Goten that he decidedly liked.

"Hehe, yeah. Suppose you could ask Bulma for another one?" he asked innocently.

"Ask her yourself," Vegeta brushed off curtly, turning to wipe a streak of blood from one arm.

"Okay," Goku agreed cheerfully, "Hey, do you mind if I go back with you to clean up? I promised to take her to dinner tonight, so it'd save me a trip."

Vegeta shot him a sharp glance, but reconsidered, as if he had plans, he would not stay long. "If you want," he settled indifferently, "But I have something to do."

"Sure, Vegeta." The two of them took to flight toward West City, and Goku was careful to speak enough to be as usual, though not enough to be too annoying.

They'd barely set foot in Capsule Corp when Vegeta told Goku, "You know the way. The gravity machine needs fixed."

"Okay," Goku replied, but the other Saiyan had already disappeared into the Gravity Room corridor.

With a mental shrug, he followed Bulma's ki to the lab, where she and her father were just finishing a repair. "Hey, Bulma," he greeted cheerfully, "I hope I'm not interrupting too much?"

She turned around with a smile, removing her lab goggles and coat. "Goku! It's great to see you," she told her old friend.

"We haven't seen you in awhile," Dr. Briefs agreed, "I hope you'll stay for dinner?"

"That's nice of you, but I'm taking ChiChi out tonight," he told them, "I hope I'm not imposing. Vegeta said he's got something to do in the Gravity Room."

"Shyeah." Bulma turned to her father. "Either you or Trunks gets to clean up the mess. Not me."

Goku laughed, though it did not appear to be a joke. "Uhm… yeah. I was hoping you could loan me a new tunic? ChiChi'll kill me if she sees this after she sewed it up."

"Sure, on the condition that you'll at least stay for a snack," Bulma replied, "Some decent conversation would be nice around here, for once."

"Deal," Goku agreed with a grin, "I should probably get cleaned up first." He held up his duffel bag that contained a change of clothes.

Both nodded. "Please do," Dr. Briefs agreed.

After a bit of small talk during their snack, Goku headed for the Gravity Room showers, making a mental note to ask Master Roshi for a new gi. Predictably, Vegeta had already finished, so he quickly took his own shower, then changed into a casual shirt and summer shorts.

Curiously, he poked his head into the Gravity Room proper, where Vegeta was working on the opened gravity chamber, or so it appeared. The digital meter fluctuated erratically from zero to two-thousand, while the actual gravity remained the same.

"Uh, Vegeta…" Goku began.

"Don't. Touch. Anything." His face was red with frustration at the lack of results of what he thought should be easy enough to repair.

Goku held up his hands. "No worries. I'm better at breaking things than fixing them."

What appeared to be a small fuse blew beneath Vegeta's fingers, sending an electric shock up his forearm, followed by a blue streak of cursing.

"Don't you think you should have Trunks help your father-in-law fix that?" Goku asked, adding hastily, "Trunks needs the practice."

Vegeta's face reddened angrily. "I see who sent you to imply I'm incapable of fixing a simple–" A louder mini explosion was heard, cutting down the whole power supply to the Gravity Room, leaving only the late afternoon sunlight streaming through the small, round windows.

Both dove out into the hallway, just in time to avoid a large electric flash that would have toasted them.

Seeing that Goku had instinctively covered both their heads, Vegeta rolled away, standing with his fists clenched. "It's genetic, isn't it?" he hissed through clenched teeth.

"Huh?" Goku asked in confusion.

"Goddammit, Kakarot, I don't need any help!" Vegeta seethed, "Not from you, or anyone!"

Goku blinked. "If it was on our home planet, I'd be executed if I didn't. Right?"

Vegeta glared at him, not needing to point out that he would probably have been executed long ago. "It was almost repaired when you distracted me!" he declared hautily.

"Sorry." Goku knew better, but he also knew better than to say otherwise.

"Fucking great!" Vegeta threw up his hands. "Now I'll have to find another place to train until it's back to normal."

Goku thought a moment before offering, "There's a nice place not far from our house. A quiet meadow, by a forest if you want shade. You can have it to yourself, and if you want to spar with us, just say the word."

"I'll find my own place." Vegeta turned to stare out a hallway window, his face and voice darkened. "And the only 'help' I want is to be left alone."

"Alright." Goku watched him thoughtfully. "I should be going, anyway."

Vegeta scowled. "Another thing," he added without turning around, "I've said that before, many times, but your brat seems to think it doesn't apply to him."

Goku was quiet for a moment. "What do you mean?"

Vegeta turned to stare at him incredulously. "Are you really that naïve?" At Goku's blank look, he specified, "You're there to train him. Tell him to stay the hell away from me. I think it would sound better from you than from me."

"Vegeta, I know you're angry, but that's unfair," Goku told him reproachfully, "He looks up to you, and thinks you're mad at him." He studied him for a moment, then challenged, "I don't think you mean it."

Vegeta turned with a raised eyebrow. "Believe me, Kakarot, if you understood the half of it, you'd thank me."

"You're right, I don't. But, as you wish." Goku turned to stare soberly out the small neighboring window. "Do you still want to spar, or is that out now, too?"

"Not the same thing. See you next time." Vegeta turned his back entirely in dismissal, that none may read the least in his face.

Getting the message, Goku left out the side door with a confused heaviness in his chest. Indeed, he didn't know what he was supposed to understand, perhaps because he was blinded by the pain he knew he would have to cause his youngest son.

-:-

POV: Goten

"…I'm certain he didn't mean it," Goku said again to Goten, looking concerned at his silence, "You'll see, a week from now he'll forget all about it."

Goten nodded mutely, feeling as though he'd been kicked in the gut. He could not bring himself to speak.

…"You gonna be okay?" Goku asked after a long moment of his silent palor.

Sensing the alarm in his father's voice, Goten looked up, nodding. "Yeah," he managed in a nonchalent if hollow voice, noting the rarity of his father's suit, and his mother's dress and pearls, "You and Mom go ahead. I can tell it's nothing."

"That was a lot of trouble for 'nothing,'" Goku commented doubtfully, while ChiChi waited quietly in the hallway. "You'll let me know if not?" When Goten nodded, he conceded, "Alright. Your mom left your plate in the oven. Go to bed early if you like."

"Sure. Have a good time." Goten shut his door as they left, then his blind and curtains, crossly wondering why the sun had to stay up so late in the summer.

He sat back down on his bed, staring dully at his dark wall as their imagined conversation echoed in his mind.

Why? Having half a mind to confront Vegeta himself, he slumped down onto his pillow.

Who'm I kidding? he scorned himself. He would only be fifteen in little over a month. Why would Vegeta have the least interest in him? Because he knew there was nothing left of his couple, and could sense his solitude? Because, drunk or not, he'd felt the sincerity in his returned kiss?

('What the hell am I doing?!')

('Think about it, jailbait!')

Regret. Now, he only disgusted him.

No...

Goten feared he would throw up, and his throat tightened. He raised his head with the intention to get up, and burst into a flood of unexpected, hot tears.

That had not happened since he'd been very small, but as there were no witnesses, he did not try to stop them. He clutched his pillow tightly as he often did, this time wishing Vegeta were holding him to say it wasn't true, that it was all a mistake.

But what did I do? Nothing. He didn't even have the nerve to say it to his face, he thought contemptuously. As much as he wanted to coldly tell him that right then, and that he was a fucking coward, at that moment he could not pull it off.

He loved him. As much as he'd tried to deny it to himself, he could not. It did not care how old they were, and that they were both male. Otherwise, such a flat-out rejection would not feel like being stabbed with a dull knife.

He wanted to believe Goku's thought, that it was only a rash thing said in anger. He wanted to believe many things that were not true.

"Asshole!" Goten punched a hole in the wall, as useless as his blind hopes had been, and let it spill out once and for all. Let the poison that had somehow infected his heart spill out now for what it was, to stain his pillow, and disappear once it had dried.

When he finally slumped in exhaustion with no tears left, the sun had set, and he stared into the darkness at what it all amounted to: nothing.

Their words exchanged had not even concerned him, he thought flatly. Though he'd given up on wondering why Vegeta had passively struck out at him, a possibility appeared.

Certainly, he didn't doubt that Goten would personally demand an explanation.

Well, he would not give him the satisfaction. Of that, he was firmly resolved.

-:-

POV: Goku

Like his wife, Goku awoke cheerfully the next morning. They'd had a great time out for dinner and dancing, like an unofficial second honeymoon. Now that their youngest could fend for himself, they should do so more often, they'd agreed. Wearing a suit was a small price for that. ChiChi even made his favorite breakfast, an admittedly eccentric mix of pancakes and baked eel with rice balls.

"I think I threw my back out dancing," she commented, "Guess I'm not twenty anymore."

"Are you sure it was from dancing?" Goku joked, ducking a head-cuff.

"Baka." ChiChi punched his arm, but looked again toward the hallway. "Goten didn't touch his plate last night," she worried, "It's already late, and I called him twice already."

Goku sobered, but said only, "We trained hard yesterday. Let him sleep if he wants to."

"Usually, half the refrigerator's empty," she persisted, "I don't like it."

Goku pushed away his final empty plate. "ChiChi, he'll probably be acting strange for awhile. It'll be hard, but it's normal."

"Well, did you talk to him?" ChiChi frowned, consterned.

He nodded. "Don't say anything to him. You'll just have to take my word for it."

Goku didn't have all the answers, and the situation was cruel and difficult for all concerned. Most believed him to be naive, even dumb, though if they looked closer, they would see that nothing could be farther from the the truth. He overlooked what he considered to be trivial, and knew when it was best to see, hear, and speak no evil. This was one of those times, ChiChi could see.

-:-

POV: Goten

It was no surprise that daily life got no easier with time. It was a passive hell, Goten found, with nothing to take his mind off being alive.

In despair, he searched for something. There was no alcohol in the house, which he rarely left anymore, unless to spend time alone in his old hideout in the midst of nature. Anyway, alcohol had a nasty taste, and apparently made people even more miserable.

Remembering a recent incident, he opened his mother's side of the bathroom medecine cabinet, and took out a prescription bottle.

Under ChiChi's name, a few labels warned, 'Do not exceed prescribed dose, May be habit-forming, and May cause drowsiness.' Intrigued, he took out the fine-print medication notice to skim. Aside from a list of side effects, and things that could go wrong for a small percentage of people, the keywords euphoria, opiate, and Class 1 narcotic, were all he needed to know.

He filled the water glass to swallow one, then took the bottle back to his room to carefully hide. Doubtfully, he kicked off his shoes and layed down, hoping for some kind of relief.

A few minutes later, he shut his eyes, smiling slowly. Where has this been all my life?

-:-

One Saturday evening, Trunks dialed Goten's personal number, frowning. For the last three weeks, when he'd called the Sons' house number, either Goku or ChiChi had told him Goten was busy, not at home, or some excuse that sounded lame.

He waited impatiently, getting the answering machine twice before the other demi Saiyan picked up.

"Yeah?"

"Hey, Goten– is that you?" His voice sounded strangely faraway, or out of it. "Are you mad at me or something?" he asked in confusion.

"Yeah, and no." His voice was flat, and carried no recognition.

Trunks quickly jumped to the point. "What's going on with you? I know you don't have cable. It's almost time for Galaxy One– Hello?" He stared at the dead receiver, perplexed.

Trunks turned to his father, who had just entered the room in time to hear the partial conversation. He'd just opened his mouth to ask a question, but he left the room at once, his expression as dark as it had been for quite some time now.

The demi Saiyan blinked, muttering to himself, "Is there something in the water supply?"

-:-

Goten could not get out of training for long, certainly not of school when it picked up in the Fall.

It was the only time he saw his best friend, who he noticed had begun to look at him with suspicion.

Trunks finally caught up with him at lunch hour at the end of their first week. As lockers were assigned alphabetically, he was obliged to sprint the long hallway. "Hey, space cadet."

"What?" Goten opened his locker, stuffing his books in haphazardly.

Trunks shut it firmly. "I want an explanation, that's what. Why've you avoided me lately? You haven't been over in a month, so what gives?"

"You can come to my place, too," Goten retorted, "Unless it isn't good enough for you."

The purple-haired demi Saiyan blinked at Goten's flat, robotic voice, and dark, empty stare. He did not look at him, rather through him. "Stop it, you're creeping me out! What's with everyone lately? My parents included. Mom ignores dad, and he looks like there's nobody home."

Goten paused, then rolled his eyes. "What's wierd about that?"

"Whatever. Just tell me one thing - if it's true it's nothing I did, why are you avoiding me? And everyone else including your brother, apparently?"

Goten sighed impatiently. "I don't want to talk about it, okay? If you can't even respect that…" He shook his head, locking his padlock.

"Alright," Trunks resigned, "Let me know when/if you're approachable."

Goten watched him walk away, an expected pang of guilt not happening. He felt practically nothing now, which suited him just fine.

At that moment, a girl with familiar, wavy auburn hair passed him, accompanied by two of her friends. Seeing Goten, she smiled with a wave, which he returned.

An idea formed in his mind, and a slow smile spread across his face. Her name was Renshen, and last year he'd taken her to the movies. She was beautiful, intelligent, and nice, with all the qualities one could want, and they'd had a good time.

Afterward, they'd kissed in a beginning makeout, hormones going to all the right places, yet both had awkwardly stopped a few times, realizing that it just wasn't happening. They'd each apologized, assuring the other that it was cool.

As it turned out, she'd confided, Renshen had just broken up with someone, and Goten's mind was also on someone else. He had more respect than to take advantage of her, Goten had honestly told her, which won him a true friend.

He would talk to her after lunch, Goten decided. Perhaps he had an ally, after all.

-:-

Recreation… the highlight of the day for some, the nightmare for others. The sporty ones played soccer outside, the bookworms read someplace quiet, the badasses smoked behind the buildings, the bullies bullied, while the popular ones socialized, to each their thing.

Goten waited until Renshen was away from her girlfriends to approach her, the same courtesy which she'd always accorded him.

"Hey, Ren," he greeted her as cheerfully as he could, "Long time no see."

She turned around, her sparkling green eyes lighting up. "Goten! My gosh, how've you been?" Her smile faded a bit to see his drawn, dark shadowed face.

He nodded with another forced smile. "I hate to bother you. Got a few minutes?"

"Nonsense, of course I do." She followed him outside, where they sat beneath a tree away from noise.

"First, tell me about your summer," Goten began.

They ended up talking for the whole break, and while they'd agreed not to reveal third-party identities, Goten found himself pouring out the whole story. Added to it her input, worth gold.

He would so owe her a favor, Goten thought when the bell rang. He walked back in, arm in arm with his partner in crime, or as the school saw it, his girlfriend.

-:-

Friday night came soon enough, time to put his real plan to action. Goten picked up Ren in his mother's car for the drive to West City, which he hid just far enough away from Capsule Corp.

He stepped back to admire her sexy black minidress with the works. "All I can say is wow," he commented with a wink and a thumbs-up. What a waste on a loser like me, he thought bitterly. Why could he have not fallen for her instead?

"C'mon, I pale next to you," she encouraged, "But I already want to punch whoever… sorry."

"Don't be," Goten replied coldly as they walked, "In a way, you will. Hopefully."

They were quiet until they reached the property of Capsule Corp, then Goten easily led her past the sensors of the security drones. They snuck to the living room window, where he sensed two familiar Saiyan ki, and peeked inside. Indeed, Trunks and Vegeta were talking, though their voices could not be heard.

"There," Goten pointed them out, "Trunks should see, since he's seen us at school. It's him I'll mostly talk to. The guy next to him's his dad. He's the one who's gotta see and hear it all."

"Huh?" Rensen asked in confusion.

"Word will get back from him to the real witness," Goten explained cleverly, "Like we said, just be the pretty, polite young lady every parent would love. Suck up more to his mom, though. She has short blue hair."

"Ah, okay." Rensen grinned. "I feel like a spy."

"Absolutely enjoy yourself," Goten replied, "Probably everyone will just act normal, but you get it. Ready?" He offered his arm, which she classily took, and nodded.

When they reached the door, Goten purposely stepped on an invisible laser, which set off the intruder alarm. That would get his attention. A few seconds later, he rang the doorbell.

Bulma opened the door while Trunks and Vegeta were prepared to attack. "Goten? What happened? You scared me to death," she told him. She motioned for them to enter, questioningly studying Rensen, who was still latched on Goten's arm.

"Oh, please excuse me, ma'am," Rensen gushed, a picture of remorse, "Goten told me to be careful, but I slipped on a leaf. I'm so sorry."

"No harm done," Bulma brushed aside, "Is this your pretty girlfriend, Goten?"

"Yeah." Goten grinned shyly, and smoothly made introductions, purposely introducing the adults as 'Uncle Vegeta' and 'Aunt Bulma'. "You know Trunks." They exchanged friendly nods and handshakes.

"It's an honor to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Briefs," Ren replied humbly with a bow, not knowing any better.

"The pleasure is mine," Bulma returned sincerely, "Shame on you, Goten, for hiding such a lovely girl," she chided playfully, "I hope you make her my niece someday." Goten only grinned, purposefully scratching his head in classic Goku-style.

While the two females were talking enthusiastically, Goten turn to ask Trunks in faux-discretion, "Hey, can you lend me your silver car this weekend? I can bring it back Sunday, unless you're up really late Saturday."

"Sure, no problem." Trunks fished the key from a drawer and tossed it to him. "Take your time," he invited, relieved to see Goten looking happy again.

"Thanks, I mean really!" Goten exclaimed. He pretended all was normal and to barely notice Vegeta, but secretly observed him.

The latter had gone from rolling his eyes to silence, his face stiff.

Obliviously yet perfectly timed, Trunks remembered, "I thought the other girl, An-Li, liked you?"

Goten shrugged. "Like an old adage says, 'who goes off hunting, loses their place.' In French, it rhymes."

Vegeta had already left the room, his face pinched tightly, but he knew he'd heard.

Goten glanced at his watch. "Well, hate to run off, but we should be going," he told the group, "We'll be late for the movie."

"Of course." Bulma placed a hand on one shoulder each to escort them out. "You better bring her back," she told Goten, who held up a peace sign.

Both waved as they left in Trunks' silver luxury car.

Once gone, Goten realized they actually had nothing to do, and his mask fell. "We could really go see a movie. It'd be a shame to be all dressed up with noplace to go."

"Okay. Don't worry, I can't stand 'chick flicks,'", she replied lightly at his dark mood, "You like Galaxy One, right? It's supposed to be as good as the series."

"'It's my favorite. I still owe you a huge favor, though," Goten promised.

Honor and kindness were part of his nature. He was kind to everyone, but if one did mistake his kindness for weakness and was unkind to him, weak would not be the way they would remember him.

TBC in Chapter 3...