Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Tasting Bliss ❯ A Piece of Misery ( Chapter 7 )

Bittersweet

 

Sequel to Tasting Bliss

 

Contains Male/Male pairings. Don't read if you don't like yaoi or shonen ai! Vegeta Seme/Goku Uke.

 

Disclaimer: I don't own Vegeta, Goku or Dragon Ball Z. Akira Toriyama created the manga/anime, and it is owned/licensed by Shonen Jump and Toei Animation Co. Ltd. This is a fan fiction, and means no harm.

 

ON the way back, Vegeta spotted something. One ki blast later delivered a small velociraptor they could eat for lunch. Then Goku shot off after something, red tail waggling behind him. In this manner they continued till they each carried three large beasts for later.

 

Minutes later Vegeta sat down on the old Chinese 'urn'. Still in Super Saiyan 4 transform, Son Goku pulled the roasted dinosaur off the fire and divided it out. Almost shyly Vegeta avoided eye contact with Son Goku, as if ashamed of his past outbursts. Son Goku wondered if his form intimidated Vegeta, but he caught the Saiyan watching him while he wasn't looking.

 

"Like what you see, Prince?" Goku couldn't resist asking. Just why he said that, Son Goku wasn't sure. But he remembered Chichi's coy behavior. Then he frowned and sat down with folded legs.

 

"You're unusually quiet, Kakkarot," Vegeta said, wiping his mouth with a bit of cloth. It seemed Goku retained some manners, having dug through the crockery in the hut to find serving platters for Vegeta. While Vegeta dined in a 'remotely civilized manner', Son Goku stuffed his face with the meat. It was both revolting and fascinating for Vegeta to watch. Yet it reminded him of Raditz.

 

"I thought I pissed you off when I babbled," Ss4 Goku answered. He tore off a huge piece of the dinosaur's left leg so he could spear it in the fire to cook.

"You can turn back, idiot," Vegeta waved his hand. "No sense in wasting that power."

 

"You sure that's what you want?" Goku blinked, his gold eyes twinkling with mischief. He rather liked his enhanced senses and the way Vegeta discretely ogled him. Chichi had not done that for years.

 

"I order you to change back, Kakkarot," Vegeta growled.

 

"Whatever you say, your Majesty," Son Goku answered without a hint of disrespect. An audible popping sound heralded the return to his normal default form, and Vegeta saw the jester again sitting opposite him. Resting his head in his hands he regarded Vegeta with a half amused smile.

 

"What are you looking at? Is Everything funny?" he snorted.

 

"You, Vegeta. You're always so SERIOUS about everything. When was the last time you had any fun?"

 

"Fun to me is hardly something you could comprehend," Vegeta answered.

 

"You're such a grouch. No wonder you're always pissed off," Goku teased him. "Maybe if you'd just lighten up, learn to relax. You've probably never been fishing."

 

"Fishing? Another human oddity?" Vegeta said in a half barking laugh. All around them lie small piles of fish bones and other animal leftovers bleaching in the sun. Blood and other entrails were either simmering in pots near the fire or easily disposed of by eating.

 

"Hey, it beats blowing things up… not that that's a bad thing when you're training. But seriously Vegeta, you do need to learn how to have a good time," Goku answered. "I mean it doesn't hurt you. Unless you think it's un-royal or something."

 

"Pfft," Vegeta mumbled. He found no desire to deflate Goku, rather he just let the remark slide. Oddly enough Son Goku knew him better then he realized. For that he resented him even more, yet felt that same odd 'warmth' passing through him.

 

Goku shrugged, "Well maybe if fishing is out… you could find something else…?"

 

To this Vegeta snorted, "A Hobby is that it? Find the Prince some inane asinine past time…"

 

"You like to fight? Can't blame you. That's one of my favorite things to do…"

 

"Other then stuff your face you mean," Vegeta answered.

 

"You're getting back to normal. That's a good sign," Goku nodded, realizing Vegeta's surly demeanor was infinitely preferable to closely guarded rage.

 

"Humans," mumbled Vegeta almost intelligibly. Hopping down from his urn, he crossed over to one of the other carcasses they'd gutted. From his right index finger he generated a small beam of ki, using it to slice off the flesh into manageable hunks.

 

"What's that?" Goku asked. He squatted down next to the coals, fanning them with a large leaf. Vegeta tossed a large spit threaded through hunks of still bloody meat. Goku easily caught one, then another till he stood at least ten around the smoldering coals of his fire pit.

 

"Humans, Kakkarot. You've lived all your life as one, and still you hardly seem like one. But tell me WHY you think humans are worth your time?"

 

Goku stood up, brushing ashes off the front of his tanned pants. "What kind of question is that? You've lived here on Earth for a while too!"

 

"You're hopeless," Vegeta grumbled. Mentally he slapped himself for Goku's obtrusiveness. Still the fool didn't get a hint about conversations. Instead of trying further, Vegeta returned to stuffing his face.

 

"You're pissed about Bulma I guess," Goku answered.

 

"Genius," Vegeta answered. He spat out a few inedible bits of cartilage to one side.

 

"Everything they did seemed weird to me," Goku shrugged. Noticing the Prince was running out of food, Goku reached for one of the newly roasting spits. It contained a rack of dinosaur ribs. He lowered himself to sit next to Vegeta's improvised seat.

 

"There were LOTS of things she did that never made sense. But I figured it was just cause she was Bulma… mmmph," Goku said between mouthfuls. "Want some?"

 

Vegeta snatched it away eagerly. Soon the rest of the spare ribs were reduced to gleaming white bones that clattered to Vegeta's other side. A bit of blood dribbled from the corner of his lip and he licked it, saying, "You just blindly accepted without questioning?"

 

Goku cut him off, "Now wait a minute… I DID wonder why. I guess I didn't think much of it because I lived alone for the first few years of my life. None of it mattered. Not till I had to live around people… and had to worry about things like manners, and customs and things like that."

 

"You lived alone most of your life. That explains a great deal. And yet you still choose to live among humans instead of apart?"

 

"I don't see much of you sometimes, Vegeta," Goku answered. "You find ways of being alone even when you're in the middle of West city."

 

"True."

 

"But what has this got to do with you being pissed at Bulma? I mean she really screwed up big time," Goku demanded, throwing up his hands. "That was really uncalled for."

 

"by her standards what happened was… considered betrayal," Vegeta answered quietly.

 

"I know. But it's not like Chichi ever did that… not anymore," Goku answered.

 

"You mean that wife of yours didn't…"

 

"Not anymore," Goku answered sadly. "She never wanted to go to bed with me. Or let me touch her or kiss her. I thought it was just because she gets like that a lot when I go away. But she kept on acting like that after I started training Uub."

 

"YOU choose to isolate yourself as much as I, Kakkarot," Vegeta laughed triumphantly. "And you DO have an annoying habit of running away when things get complicated!"

 

"Now wait a minute! I don't run away!" Goku protested, waggling a half eaten shinbone towards the Prince.

 

"You never came back when you could have, after Cell killed you. And I always hated you for that. You robbed me of my chance of revenge," Vegeta growled.

 

"I'm sorry, I thought it was good for earth!" Goku hurled the bone to the ground in disgust. Pressing the palms of both hands to the ground beside his hips, he thrust himself upward to a standing position.

 

"Maybe so, but did you even GIVE a shit and think about what that meant for that son of yours? For me?" Vegeta asked. "These losers look up to you like a GOD and you only grace them with your presence when you see fit to do it!"

 

"That's not fair Vegeta," Goku answered. "We're talking about you, not me."

 

"I'm only pointing out that what you do would be constituted as 'being selfish' by human standards. And that's what I don't get. You still are 'loved'," said Vegeta.

 

Agitated, Goku paced around the clearing, grabbing more pieces of flesh from the mostly eaten third carcass. Seizing the end of a thigh bone he tugged it off, causing a loud pop that made Vegeta wince a bit.

"You're wrong. I train because I have to defend those I love, Vegeta. I have to sacrifice…"

 

"Bullshit. You can have it both ways," said Vegeta.

 

Goku snorted, "By locking yourself in your GR away from everyone in plain sight you mean? Maybe we're not so different after all, Vegeta. The reason I do what I do is to protect. What's your reason? To be the best you can?"

 

Vegeta's face flushed bright red. He leapt up from his urn again, stabbing the air with a gloved finger, "At least I am a father to my sons!"

 

"How often DO you see Trunks?" asked Goku, marching up to stand within inches of the Prince.

 

Folding arms across his chest Vegeta spat back, "At least I knew when both my children were born!"

 

Immediately Goku's eyes widened in shock, then his face crumpled in hurt. He whirled around presenting his back to Vegeta as he stormed off towards the small cabin. Vegeta wondered if he had gone too far for that stinging barb and Goku's subsequent reaction left him feeling hollow. Irked by Goku's accusations he had sought to push back equally hard. Normally Goku pushed all Vegeta's buttons, but this time the Prince had skewered him deeply.

 

Making no noise Vegeta strode after Goku. A foot from the front door stood Goku, fisting his hands at his sides. Vegeta could see the taught muscles twitching in Goku's back through his tight sleeveless top. Vegeta reached out a hand toward him but stopped when Goku said in a deathly calm voice "That hurt, Vegeta."

 

"Touched a nerve didn't I?" Vegeta coughed.

 

Still with his back to Vegeta, Goku responded, "Maybe, but they never once questioned whether I loved them. I wasn't the one who turned into a Majin. And tore my wife's heart out."

 

Vegeta winced because Goku's voice was tinged with bitter sentiment. Somehow this worried him far more then any other reaction. Just why he should care about his rival's feelings seemed beyond him. Nevertheless thoughts of their intimacy forced up guilt from the pit of the Prince's stomach. All he could say was. "You know why I did that, Kakkarot. Because of you."

 

Blue and gold whirled like a tornado, followed by Goku's strong hands slapping down on Vegeta's shoulders. His long strong fingers squeezed Vegeta's muscles there with crushing pressure. Locking his gaze to Vegeta Goku laughed, "So you're saying it's my fault? Vegeta… you always WERE fixated on me. I know you didn't stop once to think how that influenced others!"

 

Deep black eyes smoldered with tightly controlled anger just before Vegeta's face. The Prince answered in a smooth voice with that half evil smirk, "If not for that, would you and I be here arguing now?"

 

Tightly Goku's long fingers squeezed, causing Vegeta to gasp in pain. Goku shoved his face into Vegeta's personal space, blurting out, "I don't know. But we can't change it. All this is getting nowhere. You can argue with me till we're blue in the face, but you're still not talking about what really matters. It isn't just about you and me, its about Chichi and me, and Bulma and you!"

 

Vegeta reached up gloved hands to lock around Goku's wrists. He gritted, "Yes. Because we're Saiyans no matter how much humans have tried to change it. Or how much we've denied it to ourselves we can't hide what we are for their sake. And I am fed to the back teeth with it, Kakkarot. How long will we pretend to fit in when we realize we can't?"

 

"Where else can we go, Vegeta?" Goku asked. Both men stood across from each other, arms locked and foreheads touching one another. "We've had children, made lives here on Earth. Neither of us has been the father of the year. But that doesn't mean we should walk away from our families."

 

"I didn't say that, Kakkarot," Vegeta denied, shaking his head.

 

Goku's voice was lost and scared, eyes blinking in confusion. "You and me… how does that affect Chichi, and Bulma?"

 

Vegeta sniffed, "Bulma has her own problems. She's made it quite clear she has no loyalties to me."

 

"But you never explained WHY did you?" Goku asked, the breath of each of his words pulsing into Vegeta's face.

 

Vegeta glanced up at Goku, squeezing his wrists tightly. He leaned up and whispered in Goku's ear, "Then tell me why you lived with that harpy for so long? Was it for the sake of 'family'?"

 

Goku released his hold. Vegeta stumbled back a bit, then stared expectantly at him. Sternly Goku said, "Yes. For Gohan and Goten. So they could have stability."

 

"Hah, stability? With a dominating woman like that? And you never around? How is that any better? Our sons are fully grown now, and starting lives of their own. What purpose does it serve to pretend?" Vegeta asked.

 

"You're saying this because Bulma gave up on you, is that right? Because she was finding what she needed with Yamcha," said Goku.

 

Vegeta pounded his flattened hand with his fist. "Then she DID end up with that… that…"

 

"She loved him first and best. Chichi, I don't know… I've never smelled anyone else on her. But…"

 

"She recoiled from you. Are you quite SURE she wasn't finding time on the side, idiot?" asked Vegeta. Goku scrunched his face up, then felt revelation hit him sound and hard. He stepped backwards a few paces in the manner of someone knocked reeling by a sucker punch.

 

"The only one she could have been around was…" he trailed off. Then his eyes popped wide open. He shook his head, gasping in shock.

 

"Who?" Vegeta demanded, rushing over to Goku. Tightly he gripped Goku's muscular arm.

 

"Mr. Satan? That makes no sense!" Goku blurted out. "Why would she… that…"

 

"He's a human and he's rich. And he's full of himself," said Vegeta. "And like it or not, she wants stability. That human has a career and wealth and status. And knowing how high maintenance she is…"

 

"But he's a father in law and…" Goku spluttered, outraged. His still youthful face creased with an intense frown. Ki crackled around his form at that moment, increasing in amplitude. Vegeta saw something akin to rage cross Goku's face, then fade into sadness.

 

"There you go, fool. And you assumed nothing was going on when you smelled that blowhard on her?" Vegeta laughed.

 

"Damn," Goku squeezed his eyes shut. Vegeta saw the tension clenching Goku's muscles. Spasmodically they twitched, and then ki exploded. Had he crossed an invisible line that alit Kakkarot's fuse? Rarely did Vegeta see Goku so angry as when he would truly open up and fight.

 

"Are you surprised? Don't you feel the shame and outrage I'm feeling now? Think Kakkarot, she needed someone all those years. It could be any number of…"

 

"Shut up Vegeta," Goku answered flatly. He twisted his arm from Vegeta's, only to have the Prince lunge forwards and grab the front of his blue gi. Jerked forwards he crashed into Vegeta's hard muscular chest.

 

"And what will you do if I don't?" Vegeta answered. Goku realized Vegeta's face was at eye level, and if he glanced down he could see the tips of Vegeta's gold boots levitating above the ground. Hauling him by the front of his top, Vegeta dragged Goku up to a height of twenty feet. To steady himself Goku automatically clutched Vegeta's muscular upper arms before he remembered he could fly.

 

"You accuse ME of playing games?" Goku demanded. Energy surged around them both, tingling Goku's skin with a thousand pins and needles. A loud low snarl like a wild animal vibrated his chest and he saw that Vegeta's body was bathed in a gold light. Before him levitated Vegeta with spiky shoulder length hair, and discernable pupils widened inside turquoise irises.

 

"This game is deadly serious, Kakkarot," Vegeta answered. "How does it truly feel to be betrayed by those you thought you could trust most, eh?"

 

"Vegeta, I'm in no mood for this!" Goku gritted. Vegeta let go with one hand and then slipped down to grab something out of his pocket. A blinding green flash seared Goku's eyes and he felt himself blasted with a mighty wind of power releasing. Like lances the Blutz waves had burned his retinas making him temporarily blind. Vegeta's grasp was released and Goku hovered under his own power. Then as his vision returned he felt a muscled arm wrap around his waist and drag him forwards.

 

"You thought you could deny me the ability to transform, fool?" Vegeta laughed deeply. Great power surged through him and Goku still blinked through angry tears.

 

"Vegeta, why did you do that! I can't see?"

 

"An unfortunate side effect, Kakkarot," Vegeta purred, lips near his ear. "Though I'd lost it did you? Fortunate for us both that I found the device while hunting on the way back here."

 

"What are you trying to do?" Goku asked.

 

"But I will make it up to you. We can go on ripping each other verbally apart, or join together against those who have dared to mock us."

 

"You can't be serious… I don't want to hurt Chichi even if she…" Goku spluttered.

 

"That's not what I'm talking about idiot. Will you allow that female to deny you that which I, the Saiyan prince offer now of my free will? Now that you've felt the sting of betrayal, feel the reward for accepting what has now happened," Vegeta purred. Goku's head pounded, all his other senses on overload as they tried to compensate for the mint green starburst.

 

"Then… what?" Goku asked. His feet touched the ground first. Yet he felt the touch of lips claiming his own and a furry arm around his bare neck. Any further words of protest were muffled by Vegeta's tongue thrusting past his lips. Then all that existed were the firm caresses and soft fur he dug his fingers into.

 

With a snarl Vegeta dragged the un transformed Goku down to the mossy ground. "Don't ask questions, just yield for now…"