Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Unforgivable ❯ New Life ( Chapter 10 )

You know, it's really annoying to get the manga and find out the show is rather radically different in places. I'm a bit dismayed, but oh well. My nice new Kenshin is even worse… massive differences. So aggravating! Eh? Oh, yes, I collect. Spend way too much money on the stuff, but it's fun to read! (Who am I to gripe? My fic is totally off!)

Honestly, I need my mind.

Standard disclaimer. No, wait. I do own it, I do I do! I remember now! I got it for my birthday!

Nobody believes me, do they? L

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What did that idiot do to his hair!! Vegeta stared at Kakarot in disbelief. The man's spikes were gone, his hair short and ragged. Oh, he had to have done that himself, and without a mirror. Good gods, is that an earring?! The little shimmer he'd noted was indeed a small earring, and if he wasn't mistaken, the baka had a dragon tattoo as well.

Skintight black jeans hugged the slender hips, a ripped mesh shirt hiding nothing from the prince's grudgingly admiring gaze. Nor the gazes of the others on the street. Disbelief turned to dismay when he overheard the conversation across the street. He can't! He wouldn't! He is. What the hell did those people say to him? Nothing, absolutely nothing, could drive me to that. Not after what I've been through. And he's doing it willingly?

He watched as Kakarot followed a man - a customer - to a car. Vegeta's eyes narrowed. A moment later, he was beside the two. "I don't think so, Kakarot!" he said silkily. "Time to be a good boy and come home."

"Hey, buddy, this here's…. all yours!" The man scurried away at the venomous look Vegeta gave him.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Dark eyes gazed blankly down at him. No emotion at all showed. "My job. You buying?"

"If I want you, I take you," Vegeta returned, his tone dangerous. "Or have you forgotten?"

There was a flicker of something, then his eyes blanked again. "No. What do you want?"

"I told you. It's time for you to go home."

"Come on, then." Goku turned, and set off at a leisurely pace. Vegeta followed him. Some ten minutes later, he found himself in Goku's apartment. One large room, and an open door that lead to a bathroom. It was sparsely furnished, a bed, a table with two chairs, a box with a few clothes in it, and a couch. A skillet and a pot sat on the stove. Goku opened the refrigerator, which proved to be rather badly stocked by Saiyan standards, and pulled out two bottles of juice. He tossed one to Vegeta. "We're home. Now what?"

Vegeta moved into the room, taking it in. There were absolutely no homey touches. No rugs, no pictures, not even a throw over the couch. The blanket on the bed was cheap and thin, the pillow somewhat less than full and plump. No magnets decorated the refrigerator, and there were no books or TV to relieve tedium. "Very utilitarian."

"I don't need much." Goku returned his attention to the refrigerator, taking out a number of items. "I'll fix us something to eat."

"Why are you here, Kakarot?" He decided to settle at the table.

"It's my home."

"That is not what I meant."

"I know." Something sizzled in the skillet. Vegeta waited. "I didn't have anywhere to go. So I came here."

"Did you think I couldn't find you?"

"No."

Vegeta's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "You thought no one would come looking."

"Yes. Here." A plate was deposited in front of him, and Goku took the other chair. "Why would they?"

"Perhaps because I told them what happened?"

The chopsticks the other held paused for the barest moment. "So? What if you did? No one cared that Radda was adopted. Why would they care that I was raped? They probably decided I deserved it."

"No, actually, they are all quite worried." Vegeta was worried himself. Kakarot never, ever ate so slowly. His plate should have been cleared within moments of him settling down to eat.

"Really. Why are you here?"

"To take you home."

"I am home."

"Back again?"

"You needed some groceries. I brought them."

"Sorry. I don't do charity these days." He started to shut the door.

"Who said anything about charity?" After forcing his way past Kakarot, Vegeta motioned the deliverymen in. "On the counter, or the floor. I don't care which."

Goku shrugged, returning to his bed. He watched with apparent indifference while the deliveries were completed, and said nothing until Vegeta had put away most of the food. Only then did he show any emotion. "You can cook?"

"Of course, baka. It helps to know how to cook if you've killed off everyone else on the planet. After all, there's no one left to cater to you."

"Oh, yeah, that does make sense."

Vegeta smiled a bit grimly. That was the first thing Kakarot had said that sounded remotely like him. "Of course it makes sense."

"And this isn't charity?"

A snort. "Naturally not. I do not do charity. That was always your department. Now come and eat this. It's best hot."

Goku slid from the bed, walking slowly toward the table. "There's a catch."

"No." A second plate of food was set next to the first. "You'll pay for this."

"Ah." Goku seemed to deliberate a moment, then shrugged. "Your payment couldn't be worse than anything I've done recently."

"You think so?" Vegeta scoffed. "I lived as Frieza's plaything. Do you seriously believe that I wouldn't know something more humiliating than a mere human?"

"I suppose you would. He wasn't all that fond of Saiyans." Goku popped a bite of food in his mouth. "Hmm… this is good. I suppose it's worth the price."

"I'm glad you think so. I would not normally cook for a low-class warrior - and especially not one like you!"

Goku merely grunted. He cleared two plates before speaking. "What, are you the only Saiyan warrior allowed to be a whore?"

Vegeta decked him. He stared down at the unconscious form. "I liked you better innocent."

"Ohhhh… my head!" Goku moaned. He blinked blearily, trying to get his eyes to focus. "AWK!"

"Hmm? Oh, you're awake. Shut-up, will you? I haven't gotten much sleep lately." Vegeta rolled over and went back to sleep.

"Huh?" Did I miss something? Why's Vegeta in my bed? This is my bed, isn't it? One look around the room reminded him of his rather grim circumstances. Oh, that's right. I didn't have much food. And he didn't care for my comment.

Goku swung himself out of bed and paced to the window. The view was somewhat less than inspiring, unless, of course, you needed inspiration for something dismal. The fact that it was raining didn't help any. I thought it would be better, to leave everyone behind and start all over. He turned from the window to regard the dirty dishes. I guess Vegeta still doesn't do the dishes. Oh well. It's not like I don't know how.

Goku started on the dishes - Vegeta had used all of the few he had. He tossed a look at the man now sleeping in his bed. The prince could cook. He shook his head, allowing that thought to roll around in his head for a bit. Time enough for the harsher realities when Vegeta had gone.

I never thought he would come. I didn't think any of them would look for me. Of course, I know a lot more now than I used to. That grave I put together couldn't have fooled anyone, least of all him. After all, they'd only need to ask at the Lookout to know I was still alive, or call the dragon.

So, he told them what happened. Why do I doubt they know all the details? I bet they still don't know how he knows, if they've even thought about that. I don't wonder, really, that it made a difference. After all, I wouldn't have been thinking too clearly after such a thing, after all. I'd try to get as far away as possible, that's what they probably think. Not that they'd be wrong, I did want to get away. But that didn't give them any right to act that way - I didn't do anything wrong, and they wouldn't listen.

He shook his head again, dispelling the emotions he'd managed to work up. Goku finished wiping the last plate, put it away, then hung the dishtowel to dry. He turned one of the chairs at the table, then settled down to examine his unexpected guest. He hasn't stopped training. Not gotten soft at all, in any way. Although, his insults were a little weak. Why did he come, anyway? After a few minutes of ruminating on that, he gave it up. He wasn't as innocent as he'd once been, but he still didn't like complicated problems. Besides, his rent was due tomorrow and he was still short. Goku cast one last, lingering look at the sleeping prince, then headed out to rectify the matter.

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Goku: ??? What am I doing?

Jewel: Honey, you really don't want to know.

Vegeta: What makes you think he'd do something like that?

Jewel: Veg, he was all broken up, and he flat didn't care what happened to him. People do stuff like that. They feel so bad, for whatever reason, that they figure nothing they do can make them more miserable. So they do some of the things they'd never in their lives do if they weren't so broken.

Vegeta: But that?

Jewel: …. Even that. Even if that is what started the downward spiral to start with.

Vegeta: *shudders*