Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Unforgivable ❯ No one knows ( Chapter 32 )

(And yes, Savage Garden is the music of the evening…)

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She's taking her time making up the reasons to justify all the hurt inside guess she knows from the smiles and the looks in their eyes everyone's got a theory about the bitter one they're saying Momma never loved her much & Daddy never keeps in touch that's why she shies away from human affection but somewhere in a private place she packs her bags for outer space and now she's waiting for the right kind of pilot to come and she'll say to him I will fly you to the moon & back if you'll be if you'll be my baby I've got a ticket for a world where we belong so will you be my baby…

Vegeta sat in Kuroichi's room, listening to the mix of music the other man had bought. Several of the other CD's had been dark, then he'd put this in. The lyrics were pretty much in keeping with how Kuroichi seemed to feel others saw him, but the music was brighter, happier. His particular favorite had something to do with cherry cola, although he couldn't figure out all the words. The language wasn't his first, after all. Or even his third or fourth…

He sighed, pushing to set the chair rocking again. Goten and Trunks had gone to a party Chi-Chi was holding for her husband. He'd chosen to stay home. Maybe, later, he'd go out to the pool. He closed his eyes. That damned pool. I ought to make up a little sign, take it with me. Make the designation official… He opened his eyes to bright orange.

"Vegeta? How come you didn't want to come to the party?"

Vegeta looked up, and fell out of the chair. "Goku? What… but…" he stammered.

"What?" A bright grin lightened uncertain features. "Is something wrong?"

"What happened to your face?" Vegeta stood, reaching to cup Goku's face. He ran a thumb lightly where he knew the scar should be. "What is this?"

"Make-up." Goku shrugged. "It covers it up. Come on, there's lots of food."

"I… no. I don't want to go."

"Vegeta," the tone changed suddenly, from Goku's effervescent lightness to Kuroichi's darkness, "please. I need you there. I'll explain later, I swear it, but I need you there. Please." He dropped to his knees, bowing his head. "Please, Vegeta."

Against his better judgment, Vegeta agreed. Goku reached for him. An instant later, they reappeared in a clump of trees by Goku's front yard. "Gag, it's a geriatrics convention!" Vegeta snorted.

"Well, everyone is kinda getting old…" Goku said quietly. "They age faster than we do, you know that. Yamcha… he'll probably go next. Then Krillian and Chi-Chi. Videl. Tell me, Vegeta, will we outlive our children?"

"You mean, if we don't die again? Probably. Bra's already showing signs of early aging. Trunks seems to take more after me. Your boys take after you. Pan… I don't know about her. But, they're all half-human. They're stronger and will probably have longer life spans, but… I think we'll outlive them."

"That's pretty depressing." Goku stepped from the trees, waving at his friends. "Come on! It looks like the barbeque is fired up!"

Vegeta followed him. He watched as Goku's eyes got brighter and brighter, the wattage on his smile increasing as he mingled with the friends who had seen him every time they'd been to CC, and ignored him. And when Goku excused himself for a bit of 'personal business', he followed him.

"Kakarot."

"Don't call me that."

"Kuro…" Vegeta crooned gently. "Come here."

The smile faltered for just an instant as overly bright eyes met his, then reappeared as the eyes slipped to look at something behind him. Vegeta turned, to find Chi-Chi coming up the stairs. "Oh, here you are. Master Roshi just got here, he wants to talk to you. What are you doing up here?"

Goku turned red, pointing to the bathroom. "I was just… going to…"

"Oh, well, I'll tell him you'll be a minute." She turned and started back down the stairs.

"You shouldn't let yourself flush," Vegeta said quietly. "The scars are obvious when you do, the make-up doesn't change color. I'll get my explanation later."

"I'll be home as soon as this vacation is over."

"Home?" Vegeta turned back from the top of the stairs. "Isn't this your home?"

"No. My home is with you. I will be back."

"Hn. Very well." Vegeta continued down the stairs, and headed for home.

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Vegeta: I'm not allowed to be in character, am I?

Jewel: Well… I guess you did accept that a little too gracefully.

Vegeta: \ . / Oh, you think?

Jewel: As rarely as possible.