Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ To Hell Together ❯ Part 6 ( Chapter 6 )

Hi, everyone! Thanks for those several but very nice reviews. I'm glad you like this story. What can I say more…enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ characters.

Warnings: Yaoi - G/V.

To Hell Together by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com)

Part 6

Vegeta woke with a start. He was alone in the room. The sun was already high in the sky. His body needed sleep and was taking all it could get, making him sleep until almost noon. Of course, it didn't help that he hadn't gotten much sleep last night. Kakarott must have had some stupid nightmare or something. His screams had woken Vegeta up more than once. Normally Vegeta would have been annoyed with him, but Kakarott had really been panic-stricken. He wondered what it was that had made the other Saiyan scream in terror.

Vegeta got up and went to the kitchen. Kakarott wasn't there. Vegeta searched for his ki but didn't find anything. The prince smirked and scooted outside quickly, suppressing his ki and preparing to shoot into the air.

===

Vegeta. Vegeta. Vegeta. It wasn't good that he was thinking about the prince so much. Goku sighed, laying back on the soft grass, eyes closed. He was tired. Last night he was barely able to sleep. Those dreams had been horrible. Now he wasn't so sure if he did the right thing, returning to this place again. The memories made him feel guilty and the guilt led to fear. And the fear caused his nightmares. He thought that he had overcome that fear, or at least had learned to suppress it. But now everything was back. And the dreams had changed. They became more detailed, more livid. And now they involved Vegeta, too.

What Vegeta said yesterday had affected him so much. He didn't understand how Vegeta could even think that he wanted to tease and torture him with Trunks, that he wanted to take the child away from him! How could he possibly think that?! Did Vegeta really see him as vengeful and cruel?! But that was nonsense! When did he give him a reason to think that?!

Goku froze. Maybe Vegeta knew him better than Goku knew himself… Maybe he was right in distrusting him… Those dreams… They had been torturing him now for almost 15 years off and on. Sometimes he could deal with them. Sometimes they were too intense. Sometimes they stopped altogether for years. But they always returned. Chichi had tried to make him go see a doctor, but he couldn't make himself face the hospital and needles.

At first the dreams had been just harmless memories. He had dreamed about the places he had visited: mountains, forests, rivers, cities. He saw many familiar faces. Then there was Gohan, his grandfather. He dreamed about the reckless life they had together, fishing, chopping wood, storing up food for winter, travelling and training, and how they talked before falling asleep.

And then the dreams became dark and nightmarish. Not all at once, though. They shifted and changed gradually, but the result was always hard to bear. Every time he dreamed about Gohan, he would dream about the Oozaru, too.

He could see surprise and fear but mostly sadness in Gohan's eyes. And then the chase would begin. The Oozaru hunts Gohan through the mountains, forests, rivers, and cities. The Oozaru drives him into a tight spot near the lake. Gohan tries to swim but the Oozaru is faster. The water was only knee-deep for it. It grabs Gohan and squeezes him until there is nothing left, just dripping blood.

Then Goku would wake up, screaming and soaked in a cold sweat. Sometimes he doubted it was only a dream. It seemed so real. He could see everything, like he was a bystander. He could smell Gohan's fear while he was running through the forest. He could hear his footsteps and the clatter of scared animals as they burst through the brush trying to save themselves. He could feel every twig and tree the beast touched, every breath it took. He could feel the cold splash of water from the lake, the stones under its feet. He could feel the hot blood on his hand. And he would feel the joy of a successful hunt. Goku feared that it was more than a dream, that it was the memory of what he had done to his grandfather…

After Cell the dream changed once more. He dreamed about his son, Gohan. Gohan would ask him why he left them alone. And Goku couldn't answer. Why did he leave them? He wouldn't able to answer because he didn't know the answer. Did he leave them for the new adventures that awaited him? Did he value the family so little? No, he knew that wasn't true. He loved his son. But, then why did he leave him? And it had been too late when he finally understood that he had made the biggest mistake of his life. He was able to return only after seven years. And the nightmares became crueler. Now the Oozaru would hunt the boy, too. But it wouldn't kill him. After it killed his grandfather, it would leave his son in the big crater alone. Alone to die.

Goku raised his head. Vegeta's ki had suddenly disappeared. Goku immediately ITed back to the house.

===

Vegeta didn't get very far before he saw Kakarott standing in the doorway in front of him. Vegeta stopped, dropped his hands to his sides and lowered his head in a challenging manner. That annoying Saiyan was a curse…

"Vegeta, please stay," Goku softly ordered.

"No," Vegeta answered in the same soft manner as Goku had spoken. "And what will you do? Beat me..?"

Goku was silent. They were standing before each other, neither of them moving. Goku wasn't sure what to do. He was afraid that there was really only one way out. "I hope we can find another way, Vegeta. If I were sure that your aggression is directed only towards me… What would you do if you thought someone else was trying to take away your son? Your mood changes too quickly and unpredictably..."

"You can't keep me here!" Vegeta snorted at him warningly. He knew there was some truth in Kakarott's words. Sometimes he really felt that he wanted to rip Yamcha's head off, and lately the wish had only increased. Now, when he was practically split up with Bulma, he was sure that the worm would crawl back to her again. And he had no intention of leaving Trunks with that worm.

Kakarott stood still. Vegeta growled - he wasn't going to succumb to the man. Kakarott had already taken more from him that he should have let… "Move away! You have no right in keeping me here!"

"Oh, yes, I have! And you are not to leave this house!"

"Let. Me. Go!" Vegeta was enraged, his eyes blazing, his sharp canines bared threateningly. His breath came out in short quick gasps. His whole body was tense, and his fists were clenched at the sides. His tail snapped from side to side behind his back, its fur puffed out threateningly. The vein on his forehead stood out clearly, and that unpleasant growl was there again.

Goku felt something deep and primal. Against his will he realised that he wanted to jump Vegeta. He wanted to have him flat on his back and beneath him, hearing him pant and scream for more. Goku quickly turned around in order to mask his flushed cheeks and tightened pants, but luckily the prince was too enraged to notice.

"No!" Goku stated before going outside. The growl increased, but Vegeta didn't follow him. Nor did he leave.

Goku stood near the well with his back to the house, his breath slowly coming back to normal. But the feeling he felt before was still making his lower body quiver. The feeling wasn't new to him. He had felt it before, mostly while fighting or sparring with Vegeta. Sometimes he felt the same lustful feeling while fighting with other strong warriors. It wasn't supposed to be so! The feeling bothered him.

It was in his dreams, too. Part of that monster that lived inside him. Goku did like Vegeta, and, to his horror, that liking for Vegeta was more than admiration and sympathy. The lust, which sometimes overwhelmed him while he was near the other Saiyan, made him sick to no end.

And now the dreams involved Vegeta. Last night, the Oozaru had chased the Saiyan Prince. Goku was glad that he woken up before he saw what the Oozaru did to Vegeta. Although, he had a pretty clear perception of what the outcome of that chase would have been.

Was he really that what Vegeta thought he was? Was he, Goku, a monster? A monster that had killed his grandfather and left his son…? Those dreams…

Goku growled, angry with himself. He couldn't believe… He had once again surrendered himself to the influence of those dreams! They were only dreams! The guilt… He needed to get over that. If he had managed to defeat all the mighty monsters that had threatened Earth, he could deal with the monster of his dreams. He had no reason to feel guilty. He had been a child when he turned into the Oozaru. And he just hadn't been thinking when he had left Earth seven years ago. He had never purposely hurt anyone. Those dreams were simply stupid! They were nonsense! And he would prove it! He would prove it to himself and to Vegeta.

How could Vegeta even think that he tried to take Trunks away from him?! He would never do that to him! He cared for the prince too much…

Goku snorted. Stupid dreams. That lust… Maybe that was simply a part of his Saiyan heritage. He could ask Vegeta about it, but he wasn't sure his normal way of coming right out and asking would be okay. No, he couldn't simply ask Vegeta. His reaction would be unpredictable. Goku rubbed his forehead. Yeah, he could just see it… `Tell me, Vegeta, was it normal to be bisexual on Vegetasei?' Then Vegeta would stare at him with big eyes, go to Super Saiyan Three, and kill him. Or… Admit it…

Goku turned around at a noise. Vegeta strolled outside of the house, glared at him, stuck his pointy little nose high in the air, and walked in opposite direction from him. After a few steps, the prince sat on the grass with his back to him. Goku couldn't help but smile. Vegeta could be so childish. He just had to prove his point! Goku felt relieved that Vegeta had stopped trying to escape. "Dinner should be ready now. Do you want to eat?" Goku asked, unsuccessfully trying to suppress his smile.

"Of course I do!" Vegeta snapped, still with his back to Goku. "Unless you want me to starve to death!"

"No, that would be a very big waste." Goku almost laughed when he saw Vegeta's head suddenly twitch to the side. He wondered what Vegeta was thinking, but his speculations were stopped when Vegeta got to his feet and wordlessly, with his nose still in the air, headed back to the house.

Goku was ravenous. He hadn't eaten all morning. He started wolfing down his meal.

"That's disgusting!"

"What?" Goku asked Vegeta with his mouth full of cooked rice and fried bacon.

"Stop making that munching noise!"

Goku sighed and slowed down his inhalation of food. He watched Vegeta eating and felt his appetite increase. Vegeta was eating adorably. Yes, there was no other word to describe his actions better. His meat was cut in small pieces. He was picking up very small portions (at least Goku thought so) of food with his fork and gracefully putting them into his mouth and thoroughly chewing.

"What?" Vegeta asked, noticing Goku's strange interest.

Goku looked at Vegeta's plate again then at the chunk of meat he himself was holding in his hand. "You really are a prince, aren't you, Vegeta?" he smiled.

Vegeta's mouth hung open. "What's that supposed to mean?" Vegeta looked for a hidden insult.

Goku just shrugged his shoulders and proceeded eating. "Nothing. It's just that I can tell by the way we both eat which of us is a prince and which is a third-class…"

It was a sour triumph for Vegeta. He suddenly felt like he wasn't hungry anymore. He reached for his napkin, brushed with it over his lips, and stood up, taking his dishes to the sink. "And don't forget it!"

===

Goku swam in the cool water. The lake wasn't big, but the undercurrents that kept it cold made it the perfect place for a refreshing dip on a hot afternoon. Goku stopped and raised his head for a moment to see how the prince was doing. Vegeta was lying up high on one of the grey cliffs that surrounded most of the lake. Goku couldn't see him but saw Vegeta's tail tip swaying over the side of the cliff. Relief washed through Goku's body. Finally, Vegeta was relaxed.

Goku rose into the air, wringed the water from his hair, and flew to the shore where his clothes were lying. He would have preferred to dry naturally, but he remembered Vegeta's reaction when he had been completely undressed. Hell, he had no idea the prince could be so modest…

Goku, now fully dressed, touched down on the cliff Vegeta was lying on. Vegeta was lightly dozing in the warm sun, his hair swaying slightly in the breeze. He frowned when a shadow fell on him and opened his eyes. Goku sat near the half naked prince. Vegeta coiled his tail around his waist and questioningly looked Goku in the face. Goku slowly inhaled then began.

"I wouldn't ever do anything to hurt anyone, especially you. That you think I am trying to repay you for some of your previous sins… It's simply stupid. When did I give you cause to think so? Do you want the truth? Here it is: sparring with Trunks, I actually wasn't happy when he joined Goten and me. I thought I finally would be able to while away the hours with Goten. You know, father and son, alone…" Goku scratched his head. "And actually, I was a bit jealous, too when I heard you were training Goten."

Vegeta looked at Kakarott, various emotions flowing over his face. He couldn't believe what Kakarott had said. He was jealous! How could that man feel jealous?! Jealous about him and Goten?! But Kakarott was telling the truth. He was staring at the ground, his ears red, his tail silently writhing on the cliff. It seemed that the tables had turned…

"Hn," Any other time it would have been the only answer he would give to Kakarott, but now the other Saiyan was being apologetic. He had admitted the truth and it cost him, and somehow Vegeta felt that he had to repay that. "I know you would never hurt anyone deliberately."

Goku blinked in surprise. So, Vegeta knew that, but then why…? He reached forward to fidget with several colourful stones lying on the surface of the cliff. He wondered how Vegeta could be lying in such gravel. "If you think that I or someone else have some kind of influence on Trunks, you have nothing to be concerned about. Trunks is your son, and that will never change. He loves you, and he knows you love him. The boy isn't stupid. He takes note of your actions, not your words. I understand that you are afraid of loosing him so much because you think he is the only one you have, the only one who keeps you here, and the only one you have to live for." Goku let the stones fall and raised his head to look at Vegeta. He gasped inwardly at the expression in those obsidian eyes. Vegeta stared at him, unmoving, his mouth slightly parted. Goku would have laughed if not for the seriousness of the situation.

"Surprised to hear me talking like this?" Goku asked softly, keeping his eyes on those pools full of wonder. "Don't be. In other world, I realised many things… Loneliness can be both productive and destructive. It made me realise my mistakes. In your case, it made you lash out, become paranoid." Goku was waiting for angry shouts, protests, curses, but nothing came. Vegeta still sat there, looking right into his eyes, unblinking. He was tense and seemed to be waiting for something. Goku nodded, paying silent respect to the silent, but patient prince. "You always think that everyone is trying to humiliate you, to take advantage of you, to do you harm. Believe me, we have better things to do, than to be killed," Goku smiled at Vegeta then finally let his eyes travel to the forest over the horizon. "Most of those `pests' are your friends. I mean, they would be if you only let them. Krillin and Piccolo are worried about you. Goten asks about you constantly. I have always been your friend…"

Goku sighed and turned back to Vegeta who still sat unmoving. Goku noticed that the Saiyan was shivering a little. Goku scratched his spiky head. He hadn't noticed the air getting cooler. "Are you cold?"

Vegeta stared at him then slowly shook his head. Goku looked at him, concerned, but continued. "As I said, I am your friend, at least, I'm trying to be. I don't know if you ever noticed that in between all the times you've tried to kill me, but I really am. And you are not alone. I don't know how everyone else in the universe does it, but here on Earth we take care of each other. Maybe it's a bit of an exaggeration, but believe me, most of the people on this planet aren't bloody killers that you have to protect your son from. I care for you, and I am concerned about your well being. I would never hurt you. And, what's more, I would personally rip the head off of any creature that tried to hurt you in any way."

Goku watched Vegeta. The Saiyan was shivering uncontrollably. Goku was worried that the previous seizure might repeat itself. But Vegeta let out a shaky breath, then pulled his knees close to him and put his head on them. Goku waited for Vegeta to say something, but Vegeta seemed to be very interested in the surface of the rock. Goku shifted uncomfortably.

"Say something…"

"That evening at Capsule Corporation was a mistake."

TBC