Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Unlikely Bond ❯ The Proposal ( Chapter 78 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of the characters! If I did, the anime would never end and GT would have never happened!

Story notes: This takes place ten years after the Buu saga. The only differences I can think of is that the whole thing with the world tournament in the last episode never happened and Goku didn't leave to train Uub. I wouldn't count on anything from the movies being part of this story's time line either, 'cause I haven't seen them all and they usually don't fit into the show's time line anyway. Especially that Broly crap. Vegeta cried through, like, that whole movie! That certainly didn't happen in this story....but, that's a different rant altogether. Hope you enjoy!

PLEASE heed warning in story description!! If you missed it, this story is not for children! It is also not for people who do not like stories that contain elements of violence, strong language, adult situations, references to sex and sexual activity between men and women, and men and other men. Oh, and fictional alien men having babies...'cause that's a'happen' here folks...

To my wonderful, wonderful beta-reader, Rowina: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!! Where would I ever be without you?... up piss-poor grammar river, that's where... ^_^



"Try it now, Trunks!" Bulma called across the ship hangar to where her son was crouched beneath a space pod, the same pod he had piloted on the rescue mission over a year ago. Trunks gave her a thumbs up signal before reaching in to an exposed control panel and activating the ship's engine. The pod hummed to life, shaking slightly on its tripod legs as energy coursed through its circular frame. Satisfied with the result, Trunks cut the power and moved out from under the steel body.

"What'd the computer say?" he asked, jogging across the hangar to where his mother sat perched behind the diagnostic computer. Bulma ran her finger down the monitor, checking each line for errors.

"It says we're looking good, kiddo," she told him. "As soon as your father gives us the go-ahead, this ship is ready to fly."
Trunks smiled, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the table.

"Which of 'us' do you think will get the go-ahead?" he asked. Bulma shrugged, sitting back in her chair.

Vegeta hadn’t spoken about the trip since the night he told them about it. He seemed resolute that he would be the only one accompanying Daikkon. Whether it was to personally see that Daikkon retrieved all the information on Saiyan life and any Saiyan artifacts from his home planet, or just as a way to obtain some time away, Bulma wasn't too sure. It was possible that Vegeta needed the space to think. Even though none of them had made any further mention of any change to their family dynamic, the thought had to be at the forefront of everyone’s mind. Things were moving so smoothly in the Briefs-Son household, there was little else to think about. Bulma wasn't concerned about any changes to come. Whatever would happen, would happen.

"So far, your father hasn't mentioned that anyone is going besides Daikkon and himself," she explained, adding with a laugh, "I don't envy Daikkon there... well, I mean I do... because being alone on a ship for months with your father sounds like a damn fine time to me --"

"I get it!" Trunks butted in, preventing her from elaborating further. "I get it. Poor Daikkon." Bulma continued to chuckle as her son spoke. "Maybe I should go with them, to referee."

"Are you sure you could be away from your boyfriend for that long?" Bulma asked him with a wide grin, nudging him with her foot. Trunks rolled his eyes and gave a shake of his head.

"Goten and I will be fine away from each other. It's only for a month or so, and it's still a couple of months until Dad wants to leave. That's plenty of time to get used to the idea." Trunks sighed, turning from his mother in an attempt to ignore her broad grin. "And we won't die spending time apart."

"That's a nice theory, doctor," she teased. "Let me know the results should you ever attempt any tests."

"Mom!" Trunks groaned as Bulma stood from her chair, putting an arm around him and walking with him from the hangar.

"I know, I know," she replied. "I'm in love myself. I totally understand."

Trunks placed his hands in the pockets of his jacket and Bulma linked her arm through his as they walked back toward the house. Winter was just beginning to lose its hold on the weather, and spring was just around the corner; the sun was shining brightly in the late morning hour, but the breeze still had a chilly bite. Mother and son walked quietly out onto the Capsule Corp lawn.

"How are you two doing?" Bulma asked the lavender haired prince. Her question was light, but serious, without a hint of her previous teasing. Trunks shrugged.

"We're doing great. Goten's getting great marks in school. If he keeps it up, I think he can make the Dean's list this semester." Bulma smiled.

"You must be very proud," she stated. Trunks nodded.

"I am. He's very smart."

Bulma gave her son's arm an affectionate squeeze.

"He has a good influence," she said. "It makes me happy that you two are so happy."

Trunks sighed, shrugging his shoulders. Bulma looked up at her son, a warm feeling of joy spreading through her at the look of contentment on his face. She let the subject drop, stepping into the house as Trunks opened the door for her.

"I might have some appointments later, but let me know if you need me for further tests," Trunks spoke. Bulma gave a nod.

"I’m good for today. I probably won't pick back up until after lunch, and I probably won't do anymore structural or electronic diagnostics. I need to spend some time on the living quarters. We don't want Daikkon to have nowhere to hide from your father."

Trunks smirked.

"Good call."

Bulma chuckled, parting ways with the young man and moving on into the dining room. The room was filled with a delicious aroma that originated in the kitchen where Chi Chi was busy preparing the afternoon meal. Bulma gave a smile and nod of her head to the woman as she sat down at the dining room table, placing her feet in the chair adjacent to her. Chi Chi paused in her cooking, taking a glass from the cupboard and filling it with ice and lemonade.

"How is the work on the ship coming?" Chi Chi asked Bulma, handing the beverage to the other woman.

"It's going great," Bulma replied, taking a sip as she pulled her feet back to the floor upon a gentle nudge from the younger woman. "The engines didn't show any stress from the last voyage. The onboard computers are running smoothly. I need to make a few minor adjustments to the thrusters and the cabins, but other than that -- no problem."

"That's good," Chi Chi commented, returning to the kitchen and resuming the task of preparing lunch. "I have a recipe list for you to put into the ship's computer. Just to add some things that I’ve made that Vegeta seems to have a preference for."

"Not a problem," Bulma agreed. "I'm sure he'll like that."

With his usual discreet manner, Ninji entered the room, his little sock-clad feet padding silently across the wood floor. He stopped next to Bulma's chair. She smiled brightly as she noticed the toddler, and she put an arm around him, pulling him to her side.

"Hey, sweetheart," she greeted. "What are you up to?"

"You fix ships?" Ninji asked, narrowing his eyes as he looked up at her. Bulma gave the child a pat on the pig-tail.

"Yep," she told him, picking him up and placing him on her lap. "Big brother Trunks and I are fixing the ship up just like new!"

Her attempt to solicit a response of excitement in the child failed, and he merely leaned back, resting his head against her chest.

"I wan' fix..." he spoke quietly.

"You want to help?" Bulma repeated with laughter in her voice as she held him tighter. "Well, aren't you such a big boy!"

Ninji hugged her back, snuggling into her embrace. Chi Chi smiled as she watched the pair. Ninji was a strange mix of Gohan and Trunks: smart and curious. His quiet, calm demeanor and his watchful gaze were obviously inherited from his sire, but the gentle, shy smile was definitely Goku -- Vegeta never seemed to smile.

The sounds of quickly stomping feet were heard on the staircase, preceding the tiny blonde prince who came rushing into the room, screeching at the top of his lungs in excited delight.

"Vejita," Chi Chi reprimanded calmly, "inside voice, please."

Vejita panted exaggeratedly, pressing himself against the patio door.

"Mama!" he spoke hurriedly. "Mama chase!"

Goku's deep chuckle could be heard before he strolled into the kitchen, a sheepish look on his face.

"Sorry," he said, trying to hide his laugh. "I wasn't really chasing him..."

"Honestly, Goku," Chi Chi said, shaking her head. "You are a big child yourself."

Goku chuckled, slipping his hands into the pockets of his pants. Hoping to change the subject, he turned to his oldest friend.

"So Bulma, how's the ship?"

"Great," she answered. "There's not much to do to it, and Ninji is going to help me finish it."

Goku's eyes widened at the tiny smile that lit his son's features as Bulma cuddled him.

"That's my boy! What a helper." He reached over and ruffled the baby's hair. "Can I help?"

"Of course you can," Bulma replied. "But I know you, Son. Just being around the ship will have you romanticizing about going into space -- and you know Vegeta already nixed that idea."

Goku's smile slipped into a frown.

"I really don't see why I can't go," he stated. "I've been in space before. I've piloted your ships. It's not like we would be gone forever!"

Bulma shrugged, focusing on fixing Ninji's now disheveled pig-tail as she replied.

"I don't make the rules," she explained. "When he told us what the plan was, he seemed quite firm that he was going with Daikkon, and that was the entire passenger manifest he submitted with the flight plan." Goku grimaced at her slight sarcasm. "Besides hon, we need you here."

Goku sighed. He knew Bulma was right, but the thought of adventure still held the same lure and appeal that it always had. Part of him knew that it was a lost cause, but the other part still held out some hope that there was a chance. It was only a quick pick-up flight. What would be the harm?

"Well, I still think I should go instead of Vegeta," he commented, looking from Bulma back to his wife. "I mean, Vegeta would rather be alone on a long flight like that, and I don't mind keeping Daikkon company."

Bulma and Chi Chi exchanged looks of unease. Goku noticed their expressions and continued hastily.

"The trip will only take a month, at most. I will be back before you know it --"

"Goku, dear," Chi Chi interrupted, pausing in the midst of her cooking, "if you are trying to convince us of anything, I think you are wasting your breath. Bulma would let you fly to the moon if you were so inclined." Bulma frowned, but didn't refute the remark. She had no problem with Goku keeping Daikkon company; it was probably safer for the young Saiyan. "I, however, am beginning to rethink the idea that it would be best to let Daikkon retrieve his belongings on his own. You should stay put. That's my vote, not that I think it holds much weight.” Chi Chi continued cooking, ignoring the crestfallen look on Goku's face. In a firm manner, she finished speaking, “If you want to talk to someone who has any say in the matter, well... go talk to your husband."

Goku felt all of the air rush out of the room, and he stood motionless in the silence that followed. Did Chi Chi just say.... what he thought she said? Stunned and confused, he slowly turned toward his wife, who continued cooking as if nothing were unusual in what she just said. There was an uncomfortable twisting in his stomach, and he felt a chill on his skin as he turned back, this time to look to Bulma. He could not even imagine the expression she must be wearing. Their eyes locked.

Bulma merely shrugged.

"He's out in the Gravity Capsule," she said simply.

If he hadn't known better, Goku would have sworn that he was having some sort of dream. He blinked his eyes, unable to look anywhere but out the clear pane of glass in the patio door to the yard beyond. The spherical space capsule that housed one of Vegeta's gravity training rooms stood out on the lawn, the sunlight reflecting off the smooth steel. As if moving on autopilot, he crossed the kitchen, gently moving his son out of his path, and he opened the door.

The cool wind blew softly over his exposed skin, sending yet another chill through him. Chi Chi's comment had caught him off-guard, but it was Bulma's lack of reaction that stunned him more. Were they joking with him? That was likely in Bulma's case, but not in Chi Chi's. If they were serious...well, it just didn't seem like a possibility. He was fond of Vegeta. He was glad they were friends. He was glad that they were raising their boys as a family. And while something more always seemed to be lurking in the back of his mind... what that 'something more' might be was as elusive as the prince himself.

Stopping at the top of the ramp, Goku peered through the glass window into the capsule. The room was empty, so Goku activated the door and stepped inside. It wasn't often that he attempted to enter Vegeta's training space, so he cautiously moved further inside.

"Hey... Vegeta?"

There was a noise in the back chamber. Goku knew he shouldn't go in unannounced, so he called out again.

"Vegeta?"

The door to the small room at the back of the capsule opened and Vegeta looked out at his guest. He gave a nod of his head before disappearing back inside.

"What do you want?" the prince called.

With slight trepidation, Goku followed. Vegeta was standing in front of a small sink with a mirror mounted above, rubbing the moisture out of his hair with a towel. Goku didn't have time to be sidetracked by Vegeta's state of near nudity in nothing but a pair of boxer-briefs, as he was fascinated by the rest of the small space.

"This room is tiny!" Goku exclaimed, marveling at the sight. It was possibly only a ten-by-ten foot bedroom, a single bed against one wall and a two seat sofa against another. A recessed wall next to the sink contained a shower, and the toilet was attached to a retractable panel on the shower's opposite side. The room was cramped, to say the least, but the bare, minimal space seemed to be exactly what the prince would have expected when the capsule was originally provided to him.

Vegeta grimaced, dropping the towel to his shoulders and turning to the other Saiyan, who had continued speaking.

"Is this the original bedroom that came with the capsule? It’s so small!" Goku reached his hands above his head, scraping his fingertips against the ceiling. "Did you live in this capsule?"

"Did you need something, Kakkarot?" Vegeta asked, giving the younger man a dry look. Goku turned to the prince, grinning sheepishly and pulling his hands back down to his sides.

"Um... yeah..." he spoke, watching Vegeta as the older Saiyan picked up a pair of dark denim jeans that were folded on the floor. Vegeta gave the jeans a shake before pulling them on.

"And?" he prompted. Goku clasped his hands, dropping onto the sofa.

"I wanted to talk to you about the trip." Vegeta placed his hands on his hips and raised an eyebrow, but didn't respond. Goku cleared his throat. "I think -- "

"I don't care what you think, Kakkarot," Vegeta interrupted. "You can't go. I'm not letting you go. I'm not letting you go in my place. And I'm not changing my mind."

"Well, that's not fair!" Goku insisted, frowning in irritation. "You never let me speak! Who said you get to make all the rules?"

"I said," the prince growled in reply.

Goku felt a rush of heat on his neck, not from anger, but from embarrassment as he continued.

"Yeah well... the last time I checked... this was a family, not a dictatorship," he said. "Why is your word final?"

Vegeta gave a huff of irritation.

"Don't whine," he snapped. "My word is final because I seem to be the only one who can make a rational decision here. And no, the irony of that is not wasted on me." Goku crossed his arms over his chest as Vegeta continued. "To ensure that the second-class retrieves everything that could be of use and returns, we need to send someone with him. I'm not sending the women or the children. I can't send you because I need to know that the women and children are safe."

"You can protect them, Vegeta," Goku insisted, his tone softening. Vegeta ignored the remark.

"The children need their mother."

Goku sighed. He didn't know how to respond to that remark. He knew that his children needed him, but they needed Vegeta too -- and the prince was certainly as capable of protecting their family as he was... unless Vegeta doubted his own ability. If that was the case, Vegeta must truly think Goku was the stronger of the two -- that was as close to a compliment as he had ever received from the older Saiyan. No, that wasn't true... Vegeta had given him several similar, covert compliments. And once... once Vegeta had told him that he loved him. The memory was so close to the surface of his brain.


Vegeta brought his hands up to cup Goku’s face, looking directly into his misty eyes.

“...damn it man, how can I not love you..."


Vegeta furrowed his brow as he watched the younger Saiyan. Goku had a faraway, glazed look on his face and a slight tint of pink across his cheeks. Vegeta grimaced.

"Kakkarot?" When speaking the other Saiyan's name did not attract his attention, Vegeta groaned. "Damn it, Kakkarot..." he grumbled, turning to leave.

Vegeta hadn't even a chance to step away when Goku's voice stopped him.

"Do you love me?"

Vegeta felt the hair stand on the back of his neck, and he turned slowly back to face the third class. Goku gave a shrug.

"What I mean is," he continued, but the clarification didn't make Vegeta feel any better, "how do you love me?"

"What is this about?" Vegeta scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. Goku took a deep breath.

"It's about my wife calling you my husband."

There was silence as both Saiyans merely stared at each other. Vegeta closed his eyes, sighing heavily. When there had been no further discussions since he and Chi Chi had their midnight meeting of conversation and cocktails, Vegeta remained quiet to let those involved mull over the options. He would have never guessed that the next time he heard about it, it would be like this. Vegeta opened his eyes and looked at the younger Saiyan.

"That question is for your wife," he spoke, squaring his shoulders in an attempt to look less awkward than he felt. Goku frowned.

"Yeah? Well, she sent me to you." His large eyes looked imploringly back at the older Saiyan with a mixture of confusion and concern. "...why would she do that?"

Vegeta didn't know what to say. He dropped his arms to his sides, moving his hands in a gesture of resignation as he crossed back toward Goku. The prince stopped just inches in front of the other man, looking down into his upturned face.

"What do you want from me?" he asked, his voice low and serious.

Goku stared up at the prince, asking the same question in his mind. What did he want? Maybe attention? Maybe affection? Maybe...

Goku's brow furrowed and he spoke in a calm, even tone.

"Do you think of me as a... as a husband?"

He could see Vegeta's features relax, and the prince sighed.

"I can't...” He shook his head. “I'm not prepared to have this conversation right now." The prince was surprised by the reaction his words caused.

"How much longer do I have to wait to find out where exactly I stand with you?" Goku demanded, rising from his seat. "I'm not the moron you think I am - completely - to have missed that something is going on in the house that I am being left out on. Bulma and Chi Chi acted as though it were perfectly normal to call you my husband --"

"Shoume," Vegeta snapped back. Goku pressed his lips together and furrowed his brow at the response. The word sparked a memory. And he could tell by the intonation of the prince's deep, smooth voice that it was a Saiyan word. Vegeta seemed agitated now, his eyebrow twitching in irritation. Goku slowly sat back down.

"Show-may," Goku sounded out slowly, his mind trying to process the memory.

Vegeta brought a hand to his face, rubbing his eyes before dragging his fingers through his damp mane of hair. Kakkarot was right -- he didn't deserve to be the last one asked for his opinion.

"The women seem to be under the impression," Vegeta began, gaining Goku's attention, "that they are going to expire and leave us alone to wander the earth aimlessly, without food or clean clothing, until we finally succumb to the wiles of promiscuous, iniquitous human females." Goku grimaced, keeping his eyes on Vegeta as the older Saiyan settled on the sofa at his side.

"What?"

Vegeta leaned back against the soft cushion of the small couch, resting his hands in his lap.

"Both your woman and mine have expressed a desire to... not see us alone in their absence." Before Goku could interject, Vegeta continued, "Which I've explained is quite ridiculous since you and I have both died several times already. So you or I going first is not totally out of the question."

"Both...?"

Vegeta nodded, trying once again not to look as uncomfortable as he felt. Grudgingly, he had to admit to himself that Kakkarot was right: he didn't deserve to be the last one to know. It was hard to speak of such intimate things to anyone other than Bulma, but it had been just as hard to learn to open up to her. He was afraid of rejection, even though he knew that Kakkarot was developing some sort of attachment to him deeper than friendship. He turned and looked at the Saiyan at his side. Kakkarot was staring straight ahead, his lips moving slowly as he mouthed the same word over and over again to himself. Vegeta shook his head.

"Shoume, Kakkarot," the prince spoke quietly. The calm tone of his voice caused Goku to turn and looked down at him. "It is the Saiyan term, without regard to gender, for a spouse. It is often used for those other than the first. Your wife has asked me to be a spouse to you -- to assume a relationship with you so that she knows you will have someone when she is gone. My wife, the crazy woman, has made a similar suggestion. They want a guarantee...." He could feel the third class’ eyes upon him and the 'old' part of his personality wanted to snap and snarl and drive the younger Saiyan away, but he resisted. It was hard, but he resisted. "I cannot say that this is a situation we should have found ourselves in. It is not the way a family is ideally designed. But this is where we now find ourselves. And I may be a bastard, but I will not spit upon the grace your family has shown me... again." He took a deep breath, releasing it in a heavy sigh. "I owe you my life, Kakkarot. It is not unreasonable to treat you as is your due. I am here in whatever capacity you may require. Your family has been more than accommodating." He stood, looking down at Goku, who stared back with disbelief in his wide eyes. "It would be less than noble for me not to be the same. Ask of me what you will."

Goku couldn't believe his ears. Did the prince truly feel that Goku was, even if in a small way, the same as Bulma? Was Vegeta solidifying their bond as family? Or was Vegeta merely acting on a sense of Saiyan duty?

Would any of that matter if Goku truly didn't know how he felt himself?

"May I," Goku asked hesitantly, nervously licking his lips before continuing, "may I... touch you?"

The start of surprise was visible in Vegeta's eyes for barely a second, but the tension in his jaw and throat remained. There was no physical or spoken indication of his concession to the request, but neither was there refusal. He stood motionless, staring back into Goku's eyes.

Goku swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat, and he pulled his eyes from Vegeta's, dragging them down the Saiyan's bare chest and abdomen. His fingers twitched and he rubbed his hands across his pant legs, feeling his palms begin to sweat as he stood. Taking a deep breath, he raised his hands.

Vegeta's eyes closed on instinct when he saw Goku raise his hands, his body tensing in anticipation. Slowly, Goku brought his hands down to rest on the prince's shoulders. Vegeta opened his eyes to look up into Goku's smiling face.

"You're not a bastard, Vegeta," the third class told him. "You're a good man.... Lunch is ready. Come on." Giving the stunned royal one final clap on the back, Goku moved past him and headed for the house.

Vegeta's brows drew together in confusion, and he turned to watch the taller man's retreat. His mind could not fully process what had just occurred, but he was just a bit disappointed.

When Goku stepped back into the house, Bulma was helping the children into their seats, and Chi Chi was setting plates of food on the table. Both women looked to him as he entered the room, and he smiled at them as he took his own place at the table.

"Is Vegeta on his way?" Chi Chi asked. Goku gave a nod.

“Yep.”

“So,” Bulma prompted when he offered nothing further, “what did he say?”

“He said ‘no,’” Goku replied simply. Bulma was intrigued by her friend’s lack of disappointment, but she decided not to question him further -- not right now.

Chi Chi placed a large bowl of salad greens on the table, glancing out the window. Vegeta was walking across the lawn toward the house, rubbing the back of his neck wearily. He didn’t look angry, just concerned. By the time he stepped through the doorway into the house, however, his expression was one of cool superiority.

The prince scanned the room and upon seeing that only Bulma, Goku and Chi Chi were present, he spoke.

“We need to talk,” he said firmly, settling into his chair at the head of the table. Neither Chi Chi nor Bulma missed the startled look in Goku’s eyes.

“Now?” Bulma asked, surprised by Vegeta’s statement.

“We can go into the den,” Chi Chi added, looking to the door as Bulla, Daikkon and the boys were due to appear at any moment.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Vegeta said dismissively with a frown. “I’m starving.”

Bulma grimaced.

“Spoken like a true Saiyan,” she said dryly. “Feast first, speak later.”

Bulla’s and Daikkon’s appearance in the room brought an end to any further conversation between Vegeta and the others. The princess settled beside her father at the table. Her sharp eyes took in the way Bulma and Chi Chi looked at each other, the way Goku avoided looking at the prince, and the way Vegeta avoided looking at anyone. Keeping her tone neutral, she addressed her father.

“Papa.”

The prince turned to look at the child, glancing momentarily at Bulma who set a cup of coffee beside his plate. Bulla smiled to soften the prince’s serious demeanor. She was unfazed by its ineffectiveness.

“Can we spar today? Just the two of us?”

Vegeta gave a nod in reply.

“That’s fine,” was all he said.

Bulla accepted the answer with a delighted grin and the room fell silent until Goten entered.

“Good afternoon,” he announced, taking his usual place at the table.

“Where is the doctor?” Bulma asked, placing a serving tray on the table and sitting down as well.

Goten squinted as he tried to remember.

“He got a call and said that he has a meeting with... research and development... and then he had to meet with one of his professors... he told me he would get lunch out, but be home by dinner.”

“Busy boy,” Bulma commented, to which Chi Chi added:

“He works too hard.”

Vegeta smirked.

“He doesn’t train enough.”

“True and true,” Goten remarked, shrugging. “I’ll pass it on to him.” He knew that being part Saiyan made Trunks more resilient than a human his age, but it still didn’t stop the irrational fear that the young prince would work himself into an early grave -- and it cut into their personal time.

Bulla frowned slightly as she looked around the table. Almost everyone looked like they were preoccupied with some internal dialogue, with the exception of her father. Vegeta was much harder to read. Daikkon merely smiled at her when she turned to him. Bulla blinked a few times, unsure if he deserved a smile in return. Her father and Chi Chi hadn’t seemed to warm up to the young man, and she took that as her cue to do the same. With a toss of her teal hair, she turned away.

Daikkon gave a quiet sigh. All together, the group seemed hard to win over. But in a couple of months, he would have the prince’s undivided attention -- and that might prove to be his best chance to finally change things.

After lunch, the twins immediately demanded Goku’s attention, so he took them up to their bedroom in hopes of wearing them out or calming them down enough for an afternoon nap. He was hoping he could properly focus on entertaining the children, but had a feeling his attention would be divided until the talk was over and done with. He was anticipating the conversation between him, his wife, his best friend and the prince, and dreading it as well.

Vejita rushed ahead of his mother and brother and into the bedroom, immediately delving into the toy box. Ninji walked at his mother’s side, holding on to his hand.

“So, boys,” Goku asked them, sitting on the bed, “what do you want to do?”

Vejita ignored the question, his head buried in the toys, his little hands tossing out the ones he was considering playing with.

Goku looked down at the dark haired toddler at his side.

“What about you?” he asked, putting his arm around the quiet child. “What do you want to do? Puzzles? Chess? Thermonuclear physics?”

Ninji gave a small smile, considering his mother’s question.

“I wan to read,” he replied quietly.

There was a clattering sound that drew Goku’s attention back to the rambunctious blonde. Vejita was climbing out of the toy box, a wild look of excitement on his face.

“I wan story!!!” he agreed, rushing to the book shelf. Goku chuckled, watching as Ninji slid off of the bed and joined his brother in selecting a book. It was amusing to watch the pair: Ninji slid his tiny fingers along the spine of each book, checking the titles while his brother pulled volume after volume from the shelf to check the covers.

“This!” the blonde shouted in triumph, pulling a large album from the shelf into his arms. “Nin and Veji book!” he continued happily, holding it up for his mother to take. Goku grinned, taking the book from the child as both tiny Saiyans came to settle on either side of him. The album was the boys’ baby book. Often, he would flip though it with them and show them the pictures of when they were littler.

“Nin and Veji book, huh?” he asked, flipping open the album. The very first picture in the book was of him, looking tired but happy as he reclined in a patio chair, the size of his belly indicating that he was quite near his due date. Goku grimaced.

“Nin and Veji in there?” Vejita asked, pointing to the picture.

“Yep,” Goku answered, absently bringing a hand to his now flat stomach -- partly to assure himself that it was indeed flat, and partly because that part of his life now seemed so far away. Ninji watched his mother intently, moving his own hand to Goku’s belly.

“Baby there now?” he inquired.

Veji looked up at his mother. Goku gave a nervous chuckle, ruffling Ninji’s hair before turning the page.

“No, no...no more babies for Mama.”

Veji accepted the answer and turned back to the book. Ninji watched him a moment longer before looking back to the pictures as well. The next two pages had pictures of Goku and Vegeta, each holding one of their newborn sons.

Vegeta had always said that he marveled over Bulma’s ability to covertly take his photo without being detected. He was almost certain that she had surveillance cameras built into the house. From the picture of him in the book, Goku could see his point. The picture of the Saiyan prince holding his newborn son against his shoulder, was a rare portrait of such an intimate and tender moment, a moment Vegeta rarely shared with anyone. Goku knew that Vegeta was so guarded to protect his pride, but it was heartwarming to see the older Saiyan having such a peaceful moment -- to see him enjoying life.

Vejita’s happy chatter cut in to Goku’s thoughts.

“Nin. Mama. Papa. Veji!” he stated happily, pointing to each individual in the photo before clapping his hands together, delighted with himself. Goku smiled, putting his arms around the boys and hugging them.

“Your mama loves you,” he told them, giving each tiny Saiyan a kiss on the forehead. “More than anything.”

“Uncle?”

Goku looked up as Bulla came in to the room. The preteen smiled, but had her arms folded over her chest.

“Papa wants to talk to you. He told me to play with the boys.”

“Play!” Veji shrieked, leaping off the bed and bounding toward his sister. Bulla pulled the child into her arms.

“Wanna go watch Tiny Bear?” she asked him. Veji nodded happily and Ninji slid off the bed to join them.

“Have fun,” Goku called to them, watching the three siblings leave the room. Once alone, he shut the baby book and moved to place it on the nightstand. As he turned to leave the room, he stopped upon catching his reflection in the mirror above the dresser. He stared at his reflection, his eyes slowly taking in the way the blue sash tightly hugged his waist. Once again, he brought a hand to his belly, pressing against the taut muscle. Not too long ago he grew life inside of himself. Had he not been in such a traumatic place emotionally, he might have been able to appreciate how miraculous that was. The pain was such a distant memory, and he couldn’t look upon the twins and feel anything but joy. And the prince... he couldn’t look at the prince and see anything but the father of his children.

It would seem that was how Chi Chi regarded the Saiyan now, as well.

Goku sighed, folding his arms over his chest as he mentally prepared himself for the conversation he was about to take part in. The possibilities for the future whirred through his mind, not making the task at hand any easier to prepare for. But the others... apparently they had already given the future a lot of thought. He couldn’t believe that Bulma and Chi Chi approved of his having a relationship with Vegeta; that Chi Chi even -- as Vegeta had told him -- asked Vegeta to be a spouse to him. Would it be possible to take their life as a family one step further?

Vegeta had spoken so calmly to him of what their wives had decided. He had seemed so resigned, accepting; but Goku didn’t want Vegeta to feel obligated to be with him, he wanted him to want --

Goku took a deep breath and pushed the thought from his mind. He had a feeling that making Vegeta wait wasn’t going to make the conversation go any smoother, and stalling certainly wasn’t making him feel any more at ease. There was no telling how this was going to pan out, but he could only hope for the best.

Swallowing the lump that was beginning to form in his throat, Goku moved from the room and headed toward the prince’s ki signature. It was time to talk. It was time to move forward.


It was ominous enough when Vegeta demanded attention, but there was something more intense in his demeanor when the four of them gathered after lunch. The group met in the GR, even though it was far from neutral territory, for its security from prying eyes and ears. And because Vegeta chose the location.

Goku felt a nervous queasiness in his gut as he joined the assembly. He realized that any mental preparation that he had thought he made was horribly inadequate. After the information that Vegeta had relayed to him just an hour ago, he could only imagine what he would want to say to the three of them. None of what he was imagining now was good.

Bulma sank to the floor and leaned back on her palms, addressing her husband, who leaned against the wall.

“What did you want to discuss?” she asked.

Vegeta knew he could count on the woman to be blunt. Taking a deep breath, he answered.

“This family,” he replied, his eyes scanning the others as he spoke. “And what exactly you humans comprehend it to be.”

“We comprehend, as previously discussed,” Chi Chi returned pointedly. “I don’t think any one of us has any false notions about what it means....” She considered her words for a moment, before adding awkwardly, “Except, maybe Goku....”

Goku frowned.

“That’s not fair.”

Vegeta ignored the last comment to continue.

“You say that, but I know that you probably truly don’t.” He took another deep breath, releasing it in a sigh before continuing, “I can be nothing but forward here. You think becoming a Saiyan ‘family’ means taking Kakkarot to my side, but I can assure you that is not the case.”

The only person in the room to not blush at the comment was Bulma. The teal-haired genius gave a shrug.

“Of course it does,” she told him. “We’ve already talked about this. Saiyans had more than one spouse. I think we’re all okay with that --” She paused, turning to her oldest friend. “If you are okay with that, Goku.”

Goku’s blush deepened, and he was unable and unsure of how to respond. Vegeta saved the younger Saiyan from having to answer.

“I recognize that you two want Kakkarot and I to have companionship should you perish... But addressing him as my husband now, that is something quite different.”

Chi Chi folded her arms, resting her weight on one hip.

“There is no use for any of us to be guarded here, Vegeta,” she told him plainly, a serious expression on her face. “We’ve all been through far too much together already.” The two royals stared at each other a moment before she prompted him. “Go on.”

Vegeta pursed his lips together, releasing the breath he had been holding through his nose.

“A Saiyan marriage is not linear,” he said, oddly finding it easier to address Chi Chi than either Bulma or Kakkarot. “One is not merely connected to another, who is connected to the next.” He could see out of the corner of his eye the way Kakkarot’s brow furrowed and Bulma’s head tilted to the side.

“Then,” Goku began hesitantly,“what is it?”

“It is a... a mah’krah...” Vegeta responded. “An...all encompassing bond. Equal among all.” He turned to look briefly at the third class and at his own wife before turning back to the princess. She was the one whose reaction most concerned him. “Not just I to Bulma, or I to Kakkarot... but they to each other, as well.... or I to you, for that matter.”

Chi Chi’s eyebrows rose in response. Vegeta smirked, not out of arrogance, but it was the reaction he had expected. He continued.

“Or she to you.”

Bulma gave a laugh.

“Well, that’s a twist,” she said.

Goku raised his hand, gaining the trio’s attention.

“So... it would be like... we are all married... to each other?” he asked.

“Yes, Kakkarot. That’s exactly what it would be like,” Vegeta replied dryly, leaning back against the wall.

Chi Chi stared numbly at Vegeta. Was he telling them this to shock them? Or to change their minds?

“Well, Bulma and I certainly didn’t expect to be left out in the cold,” she stated firmly. “What you describe only makes sense to me. Marriage is a partnership, after all. It would be ridiculous to try to compartmentalize.” The dark-haired woman folded her arms across her chest, turning to look at the two who were seated on the floor. “It would be unthinkable for us to not care for Bulma as family if something were to happen to you.”

Vegeta appreciated the sentiment, but he pressed his point to stress the seriousness of the matter.

“Would you take her to your bed?”

Goku’s gasp was audible, and Bulma clamped a hand over her mouth. Chi Chi could feel the color raising in her face, but she would not be shaken by his blatantly intimate inquiry.

Raising an eyebrow, Chi Chi responded to the prince.

“That is what spouses do, is it not?”

Bulma and Goku stared, slack-jawed, at the princess. Chi Chi continued to watch Vegeta, waiting for his reply.

“It is,” he said simply.

The room fell silent and Goku looked up at Vegeta, who was staring evenly back -- no hint of emotion or expression in his dark eyes. What must the prince be thinking? Certainly he wouldn’t so easily agree to this if he was against it... would he? There were so many possibilities as to what could be going on in his mind; Vegeta was a walking conundrum.

“No matter how we look at it,” Bulma spoke, breaking the tense silence. “It's a win-win, win-win, win-win situation.” She looked to each of the others, waiting for a ‘how so?’ rebuttal. When none came, she continued. “First, we win as a family. We all win,” she explained. “The twins win by having a united family. None of that ‘two-separate-households-under-the-same-roof’ madness that we would have to work out. They will already have consistency and stability.”

“If you call this place stable,” Vegeta grunted. Bulma gave him an unamused grimace as she went on.

“Chi Chi and I will know that you two will -- at least -- have companionship should anything happen to us, and... well... all of the extra stuff, if it’s not us first, is just... extra... for Vegeta and Goku’s peace of mind...” To save herself any further awkward explanation, she finished, “Win-win, win-win... win...”

Goku looked up at all their serious faces. It was apparent to him that a lot of thought had already gone into this decision for them. Maybe this is what they needed to move on and to heal?

“I want us to be a family... a real family,” he spoke gently. His eyes turned once again to Vegeta. What was the worst that could happen? He was already emotionally invested in the proud Saiyan. Was admitting it just a formality? “Just so I am not mistaken,” he continued, taking a deep breath. “What is being proposed here... is marriage...between the four of us?”

The women turned to the prince as well. Vegeta didn’t twitch.

“It is.”

Goku turned back to his wife. The last thing that he wanted was for her to think that he no longer loved her.

“And everyone is okay with that?”

Chi Chi’s eyes were determined and focused. She wanted nothing more than Goku’s complete happiness, and assurance that he would always be cared for.

“We are.” she answered firmly.

Bulma’s and Vegeta’s answers were likewise in the affirmative.

“And we will all be equal?” Goku asked, turning back to the prince.

Vegeta shrugged.

“In the sense that we now share one life. One family. Our children are theirs, and they are just as much the twins’ parents as we are.”

“And what about decision making?” Goku pressed, narrowing his eyes at the shorter Saiyan. Vegeta gave a toss of his head.

“Decisions will have to be discussed and agreed upon,” he explained. “Of course, decisions that were made prior to this union are set, so discussing them again is pointless and would be fruitless as well.”

Goku frowned.

“And would also end in a stalemate,” Chi Chi told her disappointed husband. Both she and Vegeta knew that Goku was referring to the space trip. “It would be two against two.”

“Not necessarily,” Vegeta commented. “My vote counts for one and a half.”

Bulma gaped at his boldness, but was also slightly amused.

“Why is that?” she asked.

“Because,” Vegeta replied matter-of-factly, unfolding his arms and placing his hands into his pockets. “This is a Saiyan family, and I am the prince of all Saiyans.”

Chi Chi frowned.

“Our first discussion should be the voting system,” she stated dryly.

“What will we tell the children?” Goku asked suddenly. “I mean, Gohan and Goten. Trunks and Bulla...”

“After ‘pregnant father,’” Bulma predicted, “I doubt this will shock them.”

“I don’t see how anyone needs to know just yet,” Chi Chi put in. Her words gained the group’s attention. “There is much to work out on our own... We have to answer our own questions before we can answer theirs,” she explained.

“Agreed,” Vegeta stated, giving a nod.

The group fell silent once again, each internally pondering what this step would mean. It was a big decision, one that most likely could not be undone.

With some hesitation, Goku once again raised his hand.

“I have a question...” he began slowly. “Is... is there some sort of ceremony?” he asked.

Vegeta grunted.

“Humans,” he grumbled, pushing away from the wall and heading for the door. Bulma held up a hand.

“Whoa, whoa! Don’t leave!” she demanded. “It’s a legitimate question.”

“I do not know the answer,” Vegeta retorted testily, turning back to them but not moving from where he stood. He folded his arms back over his chest, his posture tense. “I have no firsthand experience.”

“We could ask Daikkon -- ” Goku began to suggest before he was quickly silenced.

“No,” Vegeta snapped. While his agitation was evident, he took a calm breath. “Anything he would have to say would be moot. If there is a ceremony, that would imply there is some sort of officiant, which we do not have. Ceremony is meaningless. It will be, because we say it is so...” he continued, trying not to scowl. “Our word shall be binding enough.”

A heavy silence descended upon them as they considered his words.

“Are you sure that this is what you want, Vegeta?” Goku asked solemnly, looking up at the prince. If they were going to be honest with each other, he felt he had no choice but to just ask outright.

“It is what it is,” Vegeta responded, without hesitation. “You are my family, as mother to my children. Seeing to your care and well-being is as much my duty as seeing to the children’s.” His scowl faded and he looked nothing but gravely sincere. “Regardless of what you decide. My word has already been spoken.”

Chi Chi watched Vegeta as he responded to Goku’s question. His conviction was obvious. She knew she was making the right choice.

Goku took a deep breath as he considered what Vegeta had said. It did warm him to see his loved ones coming together for the sake of his children, but was he ready to let everyone sacrifice their potential future happiness? He looked again from Chi Chi to Bulma. Including Vegeta, they were three of the smartest people he had ever met. And Chi Chi and Vegeta, while hot tempered, were mostly rational. Was the idea of being married to all three of them so bad? Certainly Vegeta was only trying to impress upon them the seriousness of accepting such a lifestyle when he mentioned intimate things.... The important thing was that they were a family, all of them, and that they were there for each other through good times and bad. A real family. And if once again something were to befall him and take him from his wife and children, they would have someone to care for them when he could not. That fact made the choice easier for him.

“Then we are all in agreement,” Goku stated firmly. “We are one family now.”

Vegeta gave a curt nod.

“If we have nothing further at this point,” he said, “I have things to attend to.”

“No more questions right now,” Bulma remarked. “We’ll have to meet up again later though, I’m sure.”

Vegeta looked to Goku and Chi Chi. When he received no further comment, he left without another word.

“That man,” Chi Chi spoke under her breath, as she kneeled down next to them on the floor.

They were quiet a moment, the gravity of the situation weighing down upon them as the reality sunk in.

“Um,” Goku began uncertainly, “we're not... rushing into this, are we?”

“The babies are getting bigger every day,” Bulma spoke, sitting up straight and pulling her knees to her chest. “They deserve one united family.” She smiled warmly at him to punctuate her statement. He turned to Chi Chi.

“She’s right,” Chi Chi agreed. “Unless you feel otherwise, Goku... it feels like the right thing to do.” She smoothed out the fabric of her skirt distractedly as she spoke. “Goodness knows, we are not trying to railroad you into anything... we want you to be happy.”

Goku smiled at the women, rising from his place on the floor.

“I’m good. It’s nice to know that I have such a loving family.” He touched Chi Chi’s hair softly as he walked past her. She closed her eyes, smiling at his subtle expression of affection. “I’m going to go check on the boys.”

“So,” Bulma sighed, settling back onto the floor and tucking her hands behind her head. “I’ve always wanted a sister, and now I have myself a wife. Crazy, huh?”

Chi Chi shook her head at Bulma’s sense of humor. She smiled weakly, and the two women sat in silence for a long stretch of time. It surprised Chi Chi when Bulma spoke again.

“I’m sorry,” the prince’s wife said quietly and in the most serious tone Chi Chi had ever heard from the normally cheerful woman. She looked over, her eyes meeting Bulma’s.

“You shouldn’t be,” Chi Chi assured her.

“Oh?” Bulma asked, sitting up and crossing her legs. “Not even for steamrolling into your life? Changing everything you know? Expecting you to just give in to all these changes?”

Chi Chi shrugged.

“I assumed it was happening to you, too.” Bulma grimaced as the younger woman continued. “You are compromising your life equally, Bulma. Sharing your home, your life... your husband....”

“Goku has proven he’d do anything for my family and I would gladly do the same,” Bulma replied firmly. “I owe him more than I think either of you could understand.” Her voice quavered slightly, and the muscles in her jaw visibly tensed as she continued, “If anything would have happened to Bulla....Vegeta....it would have destroyed him...” '

Chi Chi nodded, understanding the prince’s feeling without further need for Bulma to elaborate. Silence enveloped them once again.

“It won’t be so different, I think,” Chi Chi said softly. “Not so different than it is now...”

“No,” Bulma agreed, “not so different....”

Both women considered the future, trying to imagine how this new family would function.

“The particulars will just have to work themselves out,” Bulma said in a sensible tone. “I think... we’ll be surprised by how it will work out.”

Chi Chi nodded.

“It will work out,” she echoed softly.

The two sat together in silence as they contemplated exactly what the ‘particulars’ were and how their lives would really change.

“Not too different...” Bulma repeated aloud, giving a nod to herself as she once again lay back onto the floor and stared up at the domed ceiling. “Oddly enough... I think it will all work out...”

After the door to the GR slid shut behind him, Goku leaned back against the metal panel. His mind was a blank and a blur all at the same time.

Did he really just agree to been married to Vegeta? And Bulma? The idea was a little intimidating, yet comforting. It opened up a world of possibility for the future. Not just for himself, but for Chi Chi and the boys.

Goku pushed himself away from the door, slowing making his way to the den and continuing to muse over the present situation.

Bulma and Chi Chi had spoken of wanting to have a unified family for the boys before they were bigger, but he wondered at the timing of their discussion. Could it be that Vegeta wanted to ensure that Bulma and Bulla were taken care of if something were to happen to him on his trip into space? Did the prince really want him stepping in to be a father to his children and a husband to his wife? The idea made Goku feel slightly uneasy. Bulma was like a sister to him. He wasn’t sure he could be everything to everyone if Vegeta were gone.

He had a feeling, however, that Vegeta could. And ultimately, that was the deciding factor for him. He wouldn’t leave Chi Chi alone again. She would have people to support her if he were to die. She would never have to be alone, and that was worth whatever needed to be done.

The den was unexpectedly quiet when he arrived. The TV was off, and Bulla sat alone on the sofa. She looked up from her book and smiled at him.

“Hey, Uncle,” she greeted, rising from the sofa.

“Hey,” he returned. “Where are the boys?”

Bulla gathered her books and crossed to the doorway.

“Papa came down to check on them, and I told him I had some homework to finish. He told me that he would take them off my hands, and they followed him outside.”

Goku looked through the kitchen out the back door, hoping to catch sight of his children.

“Oh... okay. Well... if you need help with your homework, let me know.”

Bulla smiled.

“Thanks. I will.”

Goku gave the princess a pat on the head as she passed him, and he moved on through the house and stopped at the patio door. Outside on the lawn, the prince was crouched next to the gravity capsule, peering into an exposed circuit panel. Ninji was kneeling beside him, staring just as transfixed as his father while Vejita ran in circles behind them, his arms outstretched like an airplane.

Goku smiled.

Vegeta was a great father and would be a good husband... but certainly their relationship wouldn’t be too different than it was now...

Goku pushed the thought from his mind and continued out into the back yard. Veji rushed to greet him, but Vegeta and Ninji remained where they were.

“What are you boys doing?” Goku asked, balancing the blonde on his hip as he looked down upon father and son.

“I think earlier today I burned a relay...” Vegeta grumbled, pulling out one board and examining it before putting it back in and inspecting the next.

“Relay...” Ninji repeated, his tiny brow furrowing as he watched his father work.

“Huh... I see...” Goku commented. “Why don’t you let Bulma take a look at that?”

Vegeta turned to look up at the tall Saiyan, his expression sour.

“I am not a complete moron,” he informed the third class. “I know what burned circuitry looks like.” He turned back to the panel, moving a bunch of wires to inspect the boards further back. “Do you know what we need?” he asked the toddler at his side. Ninji nodded solemnly.

“Miss Bulma.”

Vegeta scowled at Goku’s snort of laughter, and he slammed the access panel closed.

“Papa’s not mad,” Goku assured the dark-haired child as they followed Vegeta back into the house.

“Isn’t it nap time?” Vegeta asked irritably.

“You seem like you could use one,” Goku grinned, earning a darker scowl from the older Saiyan. “But the boys should probably go down soon.”

“You’re a million laughs, Kakkarot,” Vegeta growled, punching a button on the house intercom to connect to the gravity room. “Woman, take a look on the seventh board in the external drive panel on Capsule 3.”

Bulma’s voice came through the speaker.

“Will do.”

Ninji and Vejita followed their father through the dining room and into the den where he settled onto the sofa. The boys scrambled onto the furniture to sit on either side of him. Goku dropped down into a chair across from the trio, grinning widely. Vegeta continued to scowl.

“What?” the prince finally snapped. Goku’s grin faded, but his expression was still genial.

“I was wondering if we could leave the twins with Goten so you and I could talk.”

Vegeta resisted grimacing. It would probably be cruel to flat out refuse.

When did he stop caring if he were cruel?

“I’m very busy, Kakkarot,” he answered, folding his arms and pulling his tail out of Vejita’s reach. “Maybe later.”

Goku frowned.

“But Goten doesn’t have class today,” he explained. “And what do you have to do? Your capsule is broken!”

“Well, once the woman leaves the gravity room to fix it, that one will be free,” Vegeta responded. Goku was quiet a moment, watching Veji as he tried to capture Vegeta’s tail. Ninji was looking back and forth between his parents. Goku’s voice was quiet when he spoke.

“I’m not sure how this is supposed to work,” he said, gaining Vegeta’s attention. “But I would appreciate it if you would talk to me.”

Vegeta didn’t respond right away, and the two Saiyans stared at each other. Finally, Vegeta stood from the sofa and moved to activate the house intercom.

“Goten,” he barked into the speaker. There was only a few seconds’ delay.

“Yeah?”

“Come watch your brothers,” Vegeta replied. “Your father and I are going to go spar.”

“I’ll be right there,” the teen answered.

“Thank you,” Goku spoke, rising from his chair. “I do appreciate it.”

Vegeta shrugged, turning away.

Ninji moved quietly to his mother’s side and gently tugged on his pants leg.

“Mama and Papa fight?” he asked.

“Yep,” Goku answered, patting the child’s head before heading after the prince. “It’s fun.”

Trunks’ engagements lasted longer than he had anticipated, and he found himself arriving home after the sun had set. Even though it had been a long day, it had been a productive one as well. He had accomplished twice the amount of work he had hoped.

When he stepped into the house, it was empty and quiet. He removed his coat and boots and placed them by them by the door before continuing inside.

“I’m home!” he called, just loudly enough to be heard by those in the closest rooms. There was no response.

Trunks pulled his book bag over his shoulder and moved toward his bedroom suite. There was no point in waking anyone since he was ready to sleep himself.

As expected, his room was occupied. Goten was lying across the bed, a book open in front of him and a notebook at his side.

“Finally,” he grumbled, continuing to jot down the notes he was in the process of recording. “I was beginning to think you and your professor were shacking up.”

“I don’t need the grades,” Trunk replied, setting his book bag by the desk. “Besides, I think Professor Kuri prefers blondes.”

Goten grinned, closing his books and setting them aside.

“So, how was your day?” he asked. Trunks began to undress as he walked toward the bathroom.

“Great. My nursebot is getting four units made for beta testing. My professor helped me clean up the paper I wrote for publication in a robotics journal. And the development team and I got carried away brainstorming ideas for new models. That is what really kept me so late.”

“Damn robot,” Goten grumbled, but retained his smile.

“How about you?” Trunks asked when he returned to the room. “How was your day?”

“Oh, you know,” Goten began, standing as Trunks pulled back the sheets. “Got some studying in... finished an assignment... did some babysitting.”

“Bulla?” Trunks asked with a grin. Goten shook his head.

“No, the twins.”

“Where were Mom and Chi Chi?”

“I’m not sure,” Goten replied, joining Trunks in bed. “It was kind of weird, actually. Everyone was really quiet at lunch. Then afterward I came up here to study, and your dad told me I had to babysit ’cause he and Dad were going to spar. Not a problem, you know? But when I went down to the den, my dad looked all solemn and your dad kinda agitated.

“Were they fighting?” Trunks asked, picking up a book from the bedside table but not opening it. Goten shrugged.

“Hard to tell. Ninji said ‘Mama and Papa fight’ -- which kinda creeps me out, that he calls my dad ‘mama’, but anyway -- he could have meant the sparring.”

Trunks considered that.

“How long were they out?”

“Until supper.” Goten leaned back against the pillows, folding his arms beneath his head. “And they looked like they had been sparring. Dad thanked me for watching the twins, your dad said nothing and I came back up here until dinner was served.”

“And how was that?”

Goten smiled.

“Awesome. My mom made roast and vegetables, some kind of cherry-cranberry salad and the best dinner rolls...”

Trunks stared at the younger Saiyan a moment, causing Goten to laugh out loud.

“You should have come home on time,” he remarked.

“How was the mood?” Trunks asks, ignoring the comment.

“Oh... weird, I guess... quiet.” Goten shrugged as he recalled the meal. “No one really said anything -- oh, except once your mother said something about having a dinner party next weekend, but my parents and your dad shouted ‘no!’ all at the same time. She looked pretty irritated, but she let it drop.”

“Hmm...” Trunks responded, pulling out the bookmark as he opened his book. “I wonder what that was all about.”

“No telling,” Goten replied, curling onto his side and closing his eyes. “But it was probably nothing... unless it’s getting kinda tight in here...”

Trunks’ brow furrowed, and he looked away from his book and down at his friend.

“What do you mean?”

“You know,” Goten replied. “Tight... a full house.” He leaned up on his elbow. “Maybe they’re starting to get on each other's nerves, being in such close quarters.”

“This house is huge!” Trunks exclaimed. “Certainly that can’t be it.”

Goten shrugged.

“It would suck, certainly. . . but with so many strong personalities under one roof...it’s bound to stir something up.”

“Well, I hope that’s not the case,” Trunks replied. “Everything is going so well. Everyone gets along much better than I ever thought they would.”

“Yeah,” Goten agreed. He was quiet, watching Trunks return to the textbook before him. Goten lay back down, resting his head against Trunks thigh.

Trunks read halfway into the first paragraph before stopping, turning to look down at his friend. Goten was quiet, unmoving. Trunks reached down, drawing his fingers through the teen’s ebony hair.

“Hey,” he spoke softly, “this house isn’t too crowded for you, is it?”

“Well, you do hog the covers...” Goten replied without looking up at him. “But I suppose the room service and housekeeping make up for that -- oh, and the sex.”

Trunks scoffed at the answer, turning back to his book but keeping his hand on Goten’s head, idly stroking his hair.

After several long moments of silence, Goten spoke again.

“If your dad asks you to go with him and Daikkon...” he began tentatively, “...would you go?”

Trunks didn’t respond immediately, giving a small sigh before he spoke.

“If Dad asks me to go, I doubt there would be any room for refusal. Besides, it won’t be that long of a trip. I’d be back before you knew it.”

Trunks could feel Goten’s muscles tighten. The teen’s voice was serious when he spoke again.

“Promise me you won’t go.”

Trunks furrowed his brow, confused by Goten’s change in demeanor, and he began to wonder if it was more than being apart that was on Goten’s mind.

“What?”

“Promise me,” Goten repeated. “That even if your dad orders you to go.... that you won’t.”

“I hardly think I can refuse my father,” Trunks answered him. “Especially if it is an order.”

Goten sat up, turning to face the other Saiyan. His dark eyes were intense, a rare sight for the usually easygoing Saiyan.

“I’ll go,” he stated. “If your dad wants someone to co-pilot or navigate or just to play cards with, I’ll go. But I won’t let you go into space with that traitor. I won’t let you risk... anything.”

Trunks stared at the earnest young Saiyan across from him. He could feel Goten’s fear and unease. While the actual events were not something he gave thought to every day, it was a sobering to remember how they had come to meet Daikkon.

Goten was staring so intently at him, Trunks knew it would do no good to try and rationalize with him now. So instead, he merely nodded.

“I promise.”

Goten was quiet, continuing to watch Trunks as if he wasn’t sure if he were just being placated. Finally, he nodded back.

“Good.” Leaning over, he kissed the older Saiyan on the mouth. “Good night.”

Goten lay back onto the bed, turning onto his side to sleep.

Trunks placed his book aside, turning off the light and lying down behind his friend. He wrapped his arms tightly around Goten, holding him close and placing a kiss on his shoulder. He wanted Goten to be at ease, but he wasn’t sure what he would do if his father actually did order him to go. He had a feeling his father may not desire his company in space for the same reasons Goten didn’t want him to go. Hopefully, he wouldn’t have to chose between them... but come summertime, he would find out.

Once the twins were completely asleep, Goku moved stealthily from their room so he would not wake them. Having spent more time than usual away from him that day, the twins demanded plenty of play time after supper to make up for it. Goku found it just a bit mind boggling that play time with the twins was twice as exhausting as sparring with the prince.

And sparring was all they did that afternoon. Goku had been hoping to talk with Vegeta about this new phase of their life, but once they were alone in the middle of the snow covered field and he was staring into the older Saiyan’s emotionless face, he couldn’t think of one thing to say. So they sparred, indulging in that part of their relationship that would always remain the same.

The walk home was equally silent, as was dinner. It made Goku wonder if being married wasn’t a step back... But he knew that this was only the beginning; they would have the rest of their lives to work on the details. And Bulma had once told him that it had taken quite a while for the prince to open up at all to her, so he could only imagine it would be the same, if not more challenging, for him. There would be plenty of talking in the future, not just between himself and the prince, but between himself and Chi Chi. He didn’t want any of this to change what they had.

Not wanting to go to bed right away, Goku decided that a snack before bed might fuel any conversation that began when he returned to his room. Taking the stairs down the the first floor, he paused before turning into the kitchen, having caught sight of Bulma in the den. His friend was sitting alone on the sofa, her knees pulled up to her chest and a half full champagne flute clutched in her hands.

Uncertain if he should disturb her, he waited a moment, watching her silently. Unable to resist the urge to go to her, he made his way into the den.

“Hey,” he spoke gently, gaining her attention. “You okay?”

Bulma looked up at him and gave a warm smile.

“Of course, honey,” she replied. “Just having a nightcap.”

Goku raised an eyebrow questioningly as he settled at her side.

“Alone?” he asked.

Bulma grinned, taking another sip of the bubbly beverage in her glass.

“You’re here now,” she told him.

“Yeah...”

Goku sat quietly, watching her roll the glass between her hands when she wasn’t drinking. Every now and then her wedding band would clink against the crystal surface.

“Are you mad at me?” he blurted suddenly. “Do you hate me?”

Bulma’s eyes grew wide and she put her feet on the floor, turning to the tall Saiyan.

“Of course I don’t! And no, I’m not mad!” she exclaimed. “Goku, I love you. Nothing will ever change that.” She set the drink aside in order to take his hands in hers. “If for one moment you think I’m not fully committed to this family, well, you are wrong,” She emphasized her words by squeezing his hands tighter. “Just you wait and see.”

Goku smiled weakly at her kind words, and squeezed back. His voice was a low whisper when he spoke again.

“Then why are you sitting in here drinking all alone?”

Bulma sighed, pulling away from him and leaning back against the sofa.

“Oh, you know me, hon,” she said wistfully. “A little sentimental....” Goku cocked his head to the side, waiting for her to elaborate. “We came to this agreement so seriously and with such determination... but I can’t help but think....” She smiled softly. “That this is still our wedding night, you know?” She gave a embarrassed laugh and reached for her glass. “Silly, huh?”

Goku shook his head, rising from his seat.

“Not silly,” he told her firmly. “I’ll drink with you.”

Bulma’s smile widened as she watched Goku move to pour himself a glass of champagne. She stood as he held out his glass to her.

“To us,” he stated.

“To us,” she agreed, and the two friends shared a deep drink.

“Goku?”

Chi Chi stood in the doorway, a concerned expression on her face.

“Why are you drinking so late? You know what alcohol does to you.”

Goku motioned her closer.

“It’s a special occasion, Chi. One glass won’t hurt,” he explained proudly. “We’re toasting our family. Join us.”

Chi Chi’s brow furrowed and her indecision was obvious as she watched the pair. With a sign of resignation, she crossed the room and accepted the glass that Bulma handed her.

“Honestly, you two...” Chi Chi murmured, but waiting patiently for Goku’s toast to begin.

Bulma raised her glass again, but Goku put up a hand to stop her.

“We’re missing someone,” he stated.

“He’s in bed,” Bulma told him, slowering her glass. “He said he was tired.”

“Could you call him?” Goku asked her. Bulma looked from the Saiyan to the princess, both of whom stared back at her as though she had some sort of summoning power over the prince.

Bulma shrugged, moving to the intercom and pushing the button for her bedroom.

“Sweetheart, if you’re still awake, can you come to the den for a moment?”

There was silence.

The trio stood quietly, listening for any indication that her inquiry had been heard. Goku felt a stab of disappointment before he felt the distinct ki signature moving in their direction.

Vegeta appeared in the doorway wearing loose-fitting sleep pants, a grey t-shirt and a very sour expression.

“What?” he grumbled, his eyes taking in the scene before resting on Bulma.

“Come,” she insisted, taking his arm and pulling him further into the room. Goku hurriedly poured a fourth glass of champagne and handed it to the prince.

“It’s our wedding night,” Bulma explained, much to Vegeta’s chagrin. He was afraid it was something like that. And judging by the uncomfortable expression on Chi Chi’s face, it was news to her too.

“Oh, what’s with those faces?” Bulma demanded, scowling herself at their less than pleasant expressions. “Be nice. Now,” she raised her glass, a smile returning to her face as she continued, “To us. Royal Saiyans, loyal friends... forever family.” She looked up at Goku, her blue eyes locking with his. “May the Kais grant us all the happiness we deserve.”

“Cheers,” Goku spoke, clinking his glass against hers. Reluctantly, and only after receiving earnest looks from Bulma and Goku, Chi Chi and Vegeta repeated the action. “To us,” Goku repeated before the four tipped back their glasses.

In the silence that followed, there came a faint click and the soft whir of mechanics. Vegeta’s dark eyes darted around the room before turning accusingly to Bulma.

“Woman,” he growled, “what was that?”

Bulma’s tone was casual and light, and not the slightest bit guilty as she replied, sweetly.

“What was what, dear?”


AN: I hope that you all enjoy. ^_^