Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Stealing Time ❯ Bad Good Behavior ( Chapter 9 )

Stealing Time Chapter Nine  

Envy and self loathing Playful and crazy Anger Sad and confused Loving and fatherly

Bad/Good Behavior

Vegeta sped up flying faster if possible, weaving through this and that building or tree to avoid his follower. 'Damn that Kakarot and his instant transmission, he's right on my tail.' Glancing back a quick second, so not to be noticed looking, Vegeta could see the other Saiyan coming up on him from a few feet away. Pushing himself a bit more he took a shortcut losing his pursuer for a few minutes and made it to Capsule Corp. Landing roughly he stumbled towards the dome shaped building crashing into the front door. "Ugh.. damnit!" Backing away from the door he pulled it open and walked inside closing it just minutes before Goku showed up.

'Now how can I get out of this one? I'm almost positive Kakarot is going to bombard me with questions.' He wondered looking around frantically as if the answer were somewhere in the house. 'Questions I don't have answers to myself.'

"Vegeta?" Hearing the others voice right outside the door he headed for the stairs but Goku was already opening the door and would have seen him indefinitely.

'Think fast Vegeta.'

As soon as Goku had the door open he found Vegeta lying face down upper body on the stairs and the rest lying on the floor below them. "Vegeta!" Running over he kneels down to lift the smaller man up and turn him over placing his head into his lap. It looked like Vegeta was just asleep so he put his panic aside for the time being and tried to wake him. "Can you hear me....? Vegeta?" Shaking the other lightly, he waited and it did the trick as the unconscious Saiyan prince opened his eyes. "Yeah that's it." Goku encouraged the other to come to.

Vegeta blinked a few times at the other then realized the position they were in and immediately sat himself up, soon regretting the abrupt movement that caused jolts of pain through his head. "Ugh." He shook his head gently to relieve the minute dizziness.

"Vegeta what happened? Why'd you leave the hospital? Are you alright?""

In as groggy a voice as he could pass off, which wasn't hard considering what he'd just been through, Vegeta replied. "What on earth are you babbling about Kakarot?"

"Huh?" Goku could feel himself falling over in an animated manner but quickly recovered. 'Should have seen this coming.' He scolded himself mentally for not being prepared for Vegeta's infamous denial of everything. "Let me guess, you don't remember anything that happened the last four hours? Or how you fell asleep just now after running away from me minutes ago."

"As a matter of fact I don't. Enlighten me." Getting himself off the floor Vegeta stood over the man below him, arms crossed. Not feeling the intimidation Vegeta was obviously trying to portray, Goku remained where he sat staring up at him.

"Geez I'm not even sure where to begin." His head lowered as he scratched his neck in thought trying to sequence the last few hours. "Do you remember us sparring earlier in the space chamber?" He stared back at Vegeta waiting for a reply and got it by expression. Which clearly showed Vegeta was clueless. Goku sighed before continuing. "And you don't recall feeling sick or something during the sparring? You practically passed out in the air and fell to the ground....." He paused incase Vegeta had anything to add but he didn't. "I took you to the hospital... Who knows what might have happened if I hadn't been there." Vegeta remained silent and Goku sighed in defeat looking straight into the other mans eyes now. "You honestly don't remember any of that? Wh- What about leaving the hospital, do you remem-"

"No Kakarot I don't!" Vegeta erupted out of nowhere. The sudden shout startled the younger Saiyan he practically leapt off the floor. "Maybe you're crazy and are making this all up to mess with me huh?" The older Saiyan accused.

Standing now Goku stared hard at the other man looking him over for any signs of anything that might tell if Vegeta were the one messing with him and not the other way around. 'Nothing, he really doesn't remember.'

'Why's he staring so hard? Must think I'm lying to him, well there's something you're wrong about Kakarot. None of what you've said makes sense to me. My mind is completely blank of the last few hours. I can barely remember waking up this morning.'

"I'm not making this up Vegeta," Goku finally answered in all seriousness to the others ridiculous question. "I was with you the entire time, don't you remember anything at all?"

'He won't give up. If I said I don't know than damnit I don't!' Goku could see the anger rising in his rival but had no idea what Vegeta was thinking and he suddenly turned his back and moved away causing Goku to turn his head to keep an eye on him. 'Guess it's time to put my plan into work or he'll never stop riding me.' Vegeta turned back around to face Goku again, putting on his most convincing face and voice.

"Now that I've thought about it, Kakarot, I do recall training with you earlier." He paused with a hand on his chin thinking out the rest of his lie. "I haven't slept well lately and must have 'passed out in the air' as you put it because of exhaustion. Anything after that is a blank to me."

"...I guess that's possible but what about just now? My taking you to the hospital or you waking up and running away from me like your life depended on it?"

Vegeta heaved an exasperated sigh and started walking away from Goku's wondering eyes. "No, I don't. I must have been sleep walking or something." He paused in his steps finding this moment perfect for getting rid of the other man and spoke again. "Like I said, I haven't been sleeping well and I'm very tired now so would you please leave."

Goku began blinking a moment not budging from where he stood. "I don't know if that's such a good idea Vegeta, not after what's been going on."

"Look Kakarot whatever happened, happened and I'm fine now I just need to rest."

"...Fine. But I'm staying right here just in case you need my help. Besides, I promised Trunks."

Vegeta scoffed. "Whatever you want then." With those final words he headed up stairs walking past Goku just gently nudging the others arm from lack of space between the wall and Goku himself. "Persistence isn't always flattering Kakarot." He added on his way by. Goku chose not to respond to that, instead he followed him up the stairs to the prince's bedroom. This irked Vegeta more but he kept going stopping once they were inside the room. "There, I'm safe, you can go now. I'd rather not have you watching over me sleep like a fond mother worried for her sick infant."

"I'm going, I'm going." Goku held his hands up in defense to ward off anymore verbal assault. He quaintly laughed before completely exiting the room. "Although I will be checking on you every now and then, so I trust my infant will still be in bed when I do?" He raised an eyebrow in question at Vegeta, who in turn smirked and replied sarcastically.

"Of course mother, where else would I be?"

"Good, sleep well." He closed the door on his way out heaving a sigh and shaking his head at the afternoon drama he'd experienced. 'I could use a rest myself after the day I've had.'

____________

The clock didn't seem to be moving because the last time Trunks checked it it said 3:45 and that seemed like an hour ago, looking at it again now it still read 3:45. He placed his head back down, chin resting on his folded arms over the desk. A sudden tapping sound close by made him raise his head to find a large yard stick in his face and the teacher staring down at him.

"Are you bored Mr. Briefs?"

Straightening up now Trunks answered uneasily. "Uh no sir, I was just distracted with something else."

"Well I suggest you focus on the lesson now or you can hear the entire lecture over in detention." He took his intimidating stick and walked back to the front of the classroom.

"Yes sir." Came Trunks' unheard reply. He glanced one last time at the clock it had finally changed to 3:50 just a few more minutes and he'd be out of there. 'I can last a few minutes. I just hope Goku's doing alright with my dad.'

..............

Once the bell finally rang for the end of the day; Trunks was the first one out of the stuffy history classroom. He made his way through the slowly growing crowd of happy teens free to flee the confines of the school building. He got to the pay phone glad to see it unoccupied and fished a quarter from his pocket to call home. He could have gone straight home but he'd have to wait for Goten and that could take minutes depending on where the other boy was and what he was doing. A few short rings and the other line was picked up.

"Hello?" Came the uncertain voice of Goku.

"Goku its me, how are things going?" Trunks could tell by the silence that Goku was either thinking of how to answer that or unsure if he should answer at all.

"Fine I guess." From the tone of voice, Trunks could tell he was definitely unsure.

"Really? Because you sound kind of unsure."

"Yeah everything’s normal, Vegeta was his usual cranky self; we bickered a little that's why I wasn't sure how to answer you."

"Ookay, so where is he now?"

"Sleeping I suspect, I just left him half an hour ago."

"You left him alone!"

"Oh no! I meant I left him upstairs, I'm still here, he just didn't want me around while he rested. Everything’s fine really. We just had a busy day and he's wiped. So am I to tell the truth."

The lavender haired teen sighed with relief. "Well I'm on my way there as soon as I hang up and hey, thanks for doing this Goku, I appreciate it."

"No problem," He laughed nervously on his end. "Besides I wouldn't have had anything to do today on my own anyway."

"Alright I'll see you soon." Both speakers hung up at the same time and Trunks turned around walking at a quick pace to find his missing boyfriend.

............

Goku was more than relieved when Trunks hung up. He felt like a jerk for not telling Trunks the truth but things were peaceful at the moment, why worry him? 'This is gonna haunt my conscious for awhile.' He thought walking away from the phone. 'Maybe I should tell him everything when he gets here. At least that way I can keep him calm. But how am I gonna explain anything when I'm not even sure I understand what went on myself?'

He looked towards the direction of the stairs, wondering if he should check in on Vegeta to make sure the other Saiyan was even still in the room. "Guess I'd better peek in, wouldn't want Trunks coming home to find his dad missing on my watch." First, however, Goku went to the coffee table picking up his mess of a late lunch he'd just had and carried it into the kitchen.

Upstairs Vegeta was still there sleeping but not peacefully. He tossed and turned in a cold sweat, ruffling the sheet that was loosely hanging around him. In his nightmare he was lying in a bed, everything in white: the sheets and pillows, the floor and all the surrounding walls. Above him were overly bright lights covered with blue rectangular casings but it didn't seem to be dulling the light at all. When the Saiyan tried to get up he found himself held back by large black leather straps. 'What is this?' His mind questioned as he tried to wriggle free or at least loosen up the extremely tight straps holding him down by the thighs and shoulders.

This, Vegeta, is going to be your future..

'Not again.'

..if you don't let us help you

Vegeta moved his head in any direction he could manage to see if the voice, his own, was anywhere visible in the room with him. Of course it wasn't, just another figureless sound as it had always been. "I'm getting damn tired of this game, who are you really? And what do you want from me?" As he waited for a reply he continued to struggle beneath the bindings.

We want to help save you Vegeta

"Save me from what?" No reply came this time not after a minute, not after three minutes, nothing. Before he could start cursing at the sudden abandonment another voice came into ear shot. It was muffled from a distance and Vegeta could tell it was outside his room in the corridor. Whomever it was, was definitely heading towards his room. '

'Why does this seem familiar?'

He wondered and a memory of being in the hospital earlier that day came to him. The difference here was this was no ordinary hospital room and the voice coming towards the room wasn't Kakarot’s or his sons. Feeling panic spread over him, Vegeta began struggling again to get himself free hoping he could fly out of there like he'd done before. Thinking about his escape the tied down Saiyan suddenly felt something very wrong with his situation and turned his head in the direction opposite the door.

"What?!" Came his hoarse whispered surprise. As he suspected there were no windows in the room at all. Turning his head back to the door the person coming for him was standing outside of it now the doorknob slowly turning. All the prince could do was lay there and stare at the bare door, that also had no kind of window to see exactly who was outside of it. His throat became dry and when he swallowed it felt like sand was traveling down it.

"Are you still here Vegeta..." Came a mocking scratchy and slightly high pitched voice. "Haha of course you are there's no where else to go hahaha." He heard the person before actually seeing them and what he heard was enough to send shivers down his spine and only one being was ever capable of doing that to him.

Closing his eyes tightly he thrashed some more desperate now to get away. The door pushed open allowing the figure of his nightmares, this one and previous others, to enter the room showing itself. His eyes were as wide as golf balls seeing his suspicions confirmed. "No... It can't be you!"

"Vegeta... Vegeta?" Goku ran over to the bed rapidly shaking the other man to wake him. When his eyes opened the distressed Saiyan screamed causing the younger Saiyan to do the same. "Hey! Hey its me, Vegeta calm down." Goku said once the yelling had stopped.

"Kakarot?" Registering the voice and his surroundings the dark haired Saiyan calmed himself even though his heart still beat at a rapid pace.

"Yeah." Goku replied smiling at the other man now that he was recognized. "Are you alright? That sounded like some nasty dream." Instead of answering Vegeta relaxed back into the bed against the pillow and heaved a sigh. He turned his head away from the younger Saiyan. Goku could tell he was still in the midst of that nightmare. He frowned with sympathy for the other man. "You wanna tell me what you were dreaming about, maybe I ca-"

"It's none of your business!" Came a snappy reply.

Goku took a step back from the bed. "Geez I was just trying to help, you know if you talked about it maybe the dreams would go away. At least that’s what my grandpa used to say." He added off hand.

"That may be true for you but not me, Kakarot." Shifting in the bed Vegeta sat himself up against the headboard. "What are you doing in here anyway? I thought I told you to leave."

"What do you have short term memory?" Goku half joked. "I came to check on you like I said I would and good thing I did. But it's obvious you don't need me anymore,"

"Obviously." Vegeta interrupted.

"So I'll go, unless there's anything I could get for you."

"No thank you." Was his dry response.

"Huuh, well Trunks should be here soon." Goku said in defeat and he turned away from Vegeta and the bed leaving the room closing the door behind him. Vegeta waited until he heard Goku's steps fading away from the room before he got out of bed, dizziness putting him right back in it.

"Great." He mumbled to himself at his predicament. Taking a deep breath he stood again, slowly, swaying a bit as he made his way to the bathroom. Once inside he retrieved the same bottle of sleeping pills he'd used before and took out two capsules. 'This should do the trick.' He popped them both in his mouth at the same time and filled the little plastic cup with sink water downing it to swallow the pills. When the task was done he put everything back where they belonged and got back into bed.

Lying back down he felt a shiver run through him recalling the nightmare. 'Of all times why are you showing up in my dreams now?' Vegeta hoped the pills would put him in a deep sleep and keep any dreams or nightmares from accompanying it. The words of his dream voice stayed with him as he drifted off wondering what kind of help they assumed he needed. 'Help ha! The prince of Saiyans needs help from no one.' With that final thought he let himself be taken over by slumber.

Downstairs Goku was mumbling to himself about what to tell Trunks when he arrived, "I could just stick with the everything was fine lie, but I shouldn't be lying at all. Especially about this. Maybe I could just say-" when the front door opened revealing said person.

"Hey Goku, sorry I'm late I had to walk with Goten to work."

"Oh hey Trunks!" His voice came out higher than intended but he quickly recovered. "That's alright." He followed the boy with his eyes as he wandered into the house dropping his belongings here and there. It was apparent Trunks was preoccupied looking for Vegeta to have carelessly left his things lying around. That was more a habit of Gotens then his lavender haired boyfriend. "Uuh Vegeta's upstairs resting still, I just checked on him."

Trunks turned to the other man a little embarrassed at his obvious behavior. "Oh, thanks. I guess you'll be wanting to get home then."

"It'll be kinda dull around there without Goten but I guess I should be going. I'm sure I'm the last person Vegeta wants to see when he wakes up." He said more for his own benefit than Trunks'. He headed for the front door slowly, his mind telling him to stop and turn back to tell Trunks what happened that day with Vegeta. 'But if he doesn't ask am I still obligated to tell him, I mean it is bad news and who wants that after school.' He countered his conscience. Just as he'd resolved the issue not to say anything if Trunks didn't ask the boy stopped his trek to the door by speaking up.

"Oh and Goku,"

'Ee!' He froze mid step before slowly turning to face the teen.

"I invited Goten over later tonight after dinner if that's ok."

'Phew!' Goku wiped his mental brow. "Oh yeah that's fine. Well see ya around." After that, not wanting to get trapped again and end up blurting out the whole mess with Vegeta, Goku went steadfast out the door. Trunks stared after him in confusion but went to close the door Goku had left open in his haste to leave.

"That was weird." Forgetting about that, since Goku's whole family was a bit strange anyway he turned his attention to the junk he'd left around. Picking up his backpack, shoes and jacket he put them in the closet, that was built beneath the stairs, where they belonged. Closing the door he glanced up the staircase and wondered "Father." Going to the base of the stairs he ran up them two at a time to check on the man himself, still holding onto a little disbelief that things truly were 'fine' like Goku had said.

Not wanting to disturb Vegeta if he really were asleep Trunks opened the door as quietly as possible peeking in. "Dad?" He whispered. When there was no response he crept in a little more squinting through the dark to find the man in fact asleep in his bed. That same embittered expression on his face. Other than that he seemed normal and content so Trunks crept back out closing the door just as quietly as he'd opened it.

'Maybe I've been worrying for nothing.' Back downstairs now he decided to get his homework over with and start dinner so it'd be ready when his father woke.

.........

Once Goku was far enough away from Capsule Corp he slowed himself down and began solemnly walking. "You really did it this time Goku." He told himself. "Lying isn't exactly a habit I wanna pick up for any reason. Then what'll happen when Vegeta acts out again and Trunks ask me about today?" He questioned himself, dropping his head down to stare at the grass being crushed beneath his feet. "I'll have to tell him the truth that's what. Then he'll know I lied before and I might lose his trust." He stopped his trudge grabbing at his spikes of unruly hair in frustration. "Ah! Trunks is like another son to me, why couldn't I just tell him?" Releasing his hair, he answered his own question. "Because he's not my son that's why." Sighing he began walking again lifting his face up to the sky at a passing bird. 'Maybe everything will turn out alright.' He silently hoped.

__________

Trunks had finished his homework and put it away for later, later when Goten would be there to copy it. Sometimes he didn't know why he let his procrastinating boyfriend get away with it other than the fact that he loved him and who was he to question love? With that thought in mind he decided to give his lackluster boyfriend a call while making dinner. He'd checked on Vegeta half an hour ago and he was still in a deep sleep, the kind that would have caused Trunks to worry but when Vegeta turned over in the bed he relaxed and left him alone.

"Hey 'Ten, how's work?" Was the first thing the long haired teen said when his boyfriend picked up his cel'.

"Real funny mister privileged. It's actually kinda dull around here, which isn't exactly a bad thing." Since Gohan had moved out he thought it'd be good if his younger brother got a job, even a meager one to help out with food and such. Goku was on the fence about the whole thing but Gohan eventually convinced him it was the right thing to do. So three days a week, after school, Goten would work at a beverage and smoothie place in West City. Selling drinks of all variety and a few basic food items. Mostly the management had him cleaning up and serving since he wasn't very good behind the register or in the kitchen. "So what are you up to?"

"Making dinner, alone again." With his free hand he picked up a skillet with two nice sized pieces of fish and placed it on top of an already heated stove panel. Then he peeked inside a saucepan that had just finished cooking the rice inside of it.

"Yeah, where's Vegeta? Did anything happen?"

"No actually everything seems fine, he's asleep."

"You don't sound to happy about it... Yeah I'll be right there." Goten yelled to whomever in the restaurant wanted his attention. His voice was distant from the receiver due to pulling his head back.

Trunks continued when he knew his boyfriend had returned, usually he'd just tell Goten to hang up if his boss or someone wanted him but Goten would always reassure him it'd be fine and they'd start bickering. In the end Goten always ended up staying on the phone longer than he should anyway so he figured why go through the pointless process. "Well I'd be thrilled but the fact that everything is o.k., something just feels wrong about it."

"Nah you're probably just reading too much into nothing... hang on." Distancing himself from the phone again so Trunks wouldn't get an earful he called out again. "I said I'll be right there! Geez" Returning to the phone he went on. "Sorry 'bout that, anyway, didn't you say my dad said Vegeta was fine?"

"Yeah but-"

"So maybe he is..... sorry Trunks I gotta go, these guys are starting to nag me. My shifts almost over though and after I go home and eat, unless you're making extra.."

"Eat at home Goten, we'll have dessert when you get here."

"Works for me, see ya."

"Bye." Both boys hung up simultaneously, Trunks put the phone back on its hook against the wall by the kitchen door and returned to finishing the meal. His eyes quickly drifted to the clock up on the wall and he sighed. "He must have been really tired to sleep this long." Three and a half hours since he got home to be exact. "I hope there really is nothing wrong," He busied himself with flipping the fish over then fluffing the rice with a nearby fork. "Maybe I should go check on him again."

"What's with you people and check ups?" Trunks startled by the sudden noise almost flipped the hot fish pan right over but caught himself in time, turning to find his dad leaning casually against the door frame to the kitchen. "Smells good, is it done?" Vegeta asked since his son appeared to be tongue tied at the moment.

"Uh no not yet, but soon." He turned back towards the task at hand when Vegeta moved to fully enter the kitchen. "Did you sleep alright?" When Trunks didn't get a quick reply he looked back to see if Vegeta had left. He was still there finishing off a formerly full bottle of water.

"It was sleep." Came his blunt and to the point reply once he'd finished. Placing the bottle on the closest counter he turned to leave just as quickly as he'd came. "I'll be in the den."

Trunks stared suspiciously at the empty water bottle but then dismissed the mental thought that anything strange had just happened. 'I am starting to read too much into this. Lots of people can polish off a bottle of water especially after just waking up.' He laughed the thought away and turned the stove with the fish pan on it, off.

Vegeta got into the den and sat himself in that favorite chair of his, breathing unevenly. He'd felt wrong since waking up from his lengthy nap. He was nauseas to a point of wanting to throw up but didn't and he felt so dizzy he needed to stop moving for a minute to clear his head and catch his breath. On top of that to make it all worse he now had a massive headache. Which is why he had to get away from Trunks and chose the den instead of the living room. Because in there he wouldn't be seen with just a quick peek out of the kitchen.

"Damn this!" He reclined in that chair letting his body relax and calm down. "What the hell is wrong with me? Is it the pills, should I stop taking them?" He questioned himself. 'No it can't be that, I did get my undisturbed sleep after all and I've used them before with no side effects. Then what?' Before he could ponder this any further Trunks called out from down the hall that the food was ready. As hungry as Vegeta was he wasn't sure how well he'd be able to hide his current problem.

Hoisting himself from the chair with more effort than he or even a young child should need, he headed to join his son before the kid came looking for him instead. On his way he figured out how to keep his secret, the less he did the less Trunks would notice. In the kitchen the table had already been set and both men sat down. Before Trunks could open up on conversation Vegeta, with as much authority as he had, said "If you don't mind I'd like to eat in peace."

This was a surprise to the young half Saiyan and any small bit of hope he'd previously had of the two of them having a nice meal was blown away. "Oh... yeah.. sure." The frown of disappointment was evident on his young features but Vegeta did everything possible to avoid seeing it. So the small farce of a family ate their meal in silence... again.

_____________________________

AN: I want to apologize for the looong wait, I know it sucks and I’ll try to not let that happen again. Because when you want to suck your readers into a story you can’t have long pauses between chapters. Anyway this was finished two weeks ago but before I could update the cable went out, bill not paid again that’s life, shitty as it is so here it is now I hope it was worth your wait and I appreciate the reviews always. -Linkin