"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 realized many things. Loneliness can be both productive and destructive."
Chapter 01
Goku blinked slowly, trying to adjust to the sun shining through the open window. He was sprawled on the big soft bed in his bedroom. He yawned and stretched his arms over his head. Yes, life was beautiful.
He fumbled with his hand around the bed, looking for clothes. He soon spotted them neatly folded on the chair near the bed. Chichi was so attentive.
Suddenly, he heard a tumult downstairs then felt a spark of ki. Soon the door flew open, and a spiky ball landed on Goku’s stomach.
“Uff!” Goku exhaled as he was knocked on his back.
“Gotcha!”
Goku laughed and ruffled his youngest son’s unruly hair then sat up, holding the small copy of him on his lap. “Why aren’t you in school?”
Goten giggled and threw his arms around Goku. “You’re so funny. Today is Saturday, and you promised to spar with me.”
“Okay. A promise is a promise,” Goku said, putting Goten next to him on the bed and dressing in his orange gi.
“Sorry I woke you up. Mom said you would still be very tired, but I couldn’t wait any longer,” said his sweetie, hopping up and down on the bed. Goku felt his cheeks heat up.
“I was already up,” he said while picking his son up by his waist. He ran quickly downstairs to the kitchen.
“He woke you up, didn’t he?” Chichi asked, eyeing her youngest, pretending to be angry. She gave her cheek for Goku to kiss. “Good morning, Goku. You must be very hungry,” she said, giving him a wink.
Goku finally released a struggling Goten and kissed Chichi. She motioned for him to sit at the table. His youngest immediately settled on the opposite side. While eating, Goku listened to Goten’s welcome babbling about school and friends. He really enjoyed it, the family feeling. He wanted to catch up on the time he wasn’t there for his sons.
He pushed the plate away and patted his stomach. “Chichi that was delicious, as always.” Goku gave her a smile and noticed a content look on her face. Yes, from now on everything would be okay.
“Can we go now, Dad?” Goten pleaded, already standing next to the kitchen door.
“You really don’t mind?” Goku asked his wife.
“Not a bit,” she said smiling and kissed him on the cheek. “Just be careful with him. And come back before the party starts. You’ll need to change.”
“Oh. The party…” Goku would have forgotten but for Chichi.
Chichi smacked him on the head. “I can’t believe this! You have been talking about that party for over a week!”
“You know me…” Goku smiled sheepishly and tossed Goten onto his shoulder. They both waved goodbye and were gone.
oOOoOOo
Goku and Goten were not far away from their training area when Goku felt a familiar ki spark. Goten saw his father’s interest. “I hope you don’t mind. I invited Trunks.”
“No, that’s fine with me.”
Soon they landed on their training ground. It looked like there had been an archeological dig going on. The entire place was covered with big holes and mounds from their blasts or their bodies. Mostly, they were done by Goku and Vegeta. But, if asked, Goten could proudly tell which were made by him or Trunks.
Goku and Goten sparred. Well, Goten sparred. Goku just tried not to hurt his son. They sparred until Trunks arrived. Goku let his son catch his breath, then continued with Trunks, who was more experienced than Goten.
“Your father trained you well,” Goku said, blocking the demi’s kick. It was a trademark Vegeta move. Trunks nodded, accepting the compliment, and performed another kick. He threw an energy blast at Goku, which was easily blocked and sent to the ground near Goten, who was standing close and cheering for Trunks.
“I see you’re rested. Join us!” Goku said, grinning.
“Two against one? We’ll win! Hurry up, Goten!” Trunks shouted.
Goku couldn’t help but laugh, hearing enthusiasm in both boys’ voices.
oOOoOOo
Soon, Goten fell to the ground, shortly followed by Trunks.
“Next time we fight as Gotenks!” Trunks announced and lay down next to Goten, trying to slow his breathing.
“Uh-huh,” Goten agreed, rubbing a swelling bruise on his shoulder.
Goku walked over to them. “Who wants to go for a swim? Last one in is a rotten egg!”
Trunks and Goten grinned and bolted after Goku.
The lake was just a few kilometers away from the training ground. Goku slipped out of his boots and jumped into the water with the rest of his clothes on. The boys exchanged looks and followed him, their weariness gone as soon as they touched the surface of chilly but refreshing water.
After a half-hour, Goku went to the shore and dried himself and his clothes off with his ki. Soon the boys followed suit. Goten, like Goku, was naked. Trunks, more modest, had stripped down to underwear. After Trunks had stopped laughing at Goten, who had burnt his clothes to ashes while trying to dry them out, they sat next to Goku.
“You did a great job helping Goten,” Goku said, complimenting Trunks.
Trunks smiled and shook his head. “No, my dad did the most of work.”
Goku blinked, surprised. “Vegeta is training you, Goten?”
“Uh-huh. I was sparring with Trunks one day, and he said I was holding my arm too high. And so it started.”
“How often does he train you?”
“Not very often,” Trunks answered for Goten. “Only when my dad sees us sparing. He comes closer and gives us advice. And Goten is afraid to ask for more. You know my dad.” Trunks sighed, then smiled again. “But now that you’re back, you can teach him.”
“Yeah, Dad!” Goten nodded enthusiastically and threw his arms around Goku.
“I guess that’s a good idea,” Goku agreed, returning the gesture.
“Can I join you?” Trunks asked with shimmering eyes.
Goku hesitated a moment, uncertain. He looked at his son’s big puppy eyes. “Of course you can, but ask your father first,” he said, patting Trunks’ head. “Let’s go, otherwise we’ll be late for your mom’s party.”
oOOoOOo
“At least now you will have more than enough to eat. Bulma really made a lot,” Chichi said, inspecting her surroundings. On the lawn around Capsule Corporation, there were five tables piled up with good things.
“I wouldn’t be so sure, “Goku laughed, squeezing her hand tighter. “There will be five Saiyans after all.”
Chichi and Goku weren’t the first to arrive: Krillin, Eighteen, and Marron were sitting on a bench near the house and were talking with Bulma. Tenshinhan and Lunch were discussing something with Yamcha. Puar and Oolong were fighting over some magazine while Kame-senin was running after them. Vegeta was talking with his son (actually, Trunks was talking about something and Vegeta just nodded from time to time) and seemed to be absolutely indifferent to his surroundings.
Goku and Chichi went to greet Bulma and others. On his way, Goku saluted Vegeta, who gave a nod to acknowledge him and turned his attention back to Trunks.
“You’re not the last to show up this time,” Krillin greeted Goku.
“The last time I came, the food was already gone, so…”
Krillin giggled and unconsciously observed the nearest table. “And where is our green friend?”
“He said he would be training Dende but promised to be here.”
“I wonder how Piccolo managed to convince him,” Chichi expressed her wonderment.
“Dende asked him in person.” Eighteen shook her head. “He said that while Goku and Vegeta were fighting Buu, he had to skulk with Satan. He had felt…worthless. I don’t think he was worthless, but that’s what he said.”
“At least Piccolo has to do something again.” Chichi frowned slightly. “Since Gohan moved in with Videl, Piccolo seems so unhappy and distant to me. But then, he always was like that.”
“Give him a break. He thought he was a devil!” Eighteen said to Chichi. While living with Krillin, Eighteen used every opportunity to ask her husband about his previous life.
Gohan and Videl landed near the group. “Hi, everyone!”
“Why aren’t you driving like decent people?” Chichi complained to Gohan.
“Mom, I am a half-Saiyan. Besides, Videl likes flying, too!”
“Goku,” Chichi said, crossing her hands defiantly. “Tell them how you almost got shot when some fool thought you were a duck.”
“Chichi… That was hunting season. Besides, I was flying over a forest.”
“Don’t worry, Chichi. It would take more than a bullet to take a Saiyan down,” Eighteen laughed, brushing a hair strand from her eyes.
Shortly before he arrived, everyone felt Piccolo’s ki. Everybody greeted him, and Bulma invited everyone to sit down for the meal. After a few toasts and jokes, they decided to go sit down on the grass with their plates.
“Piccolo, you should at least drink mineral water on an occasion like this,” Krillin joked, spotting a water flask in green hands.
“And you should have crimped your beautiful hair,” Piccolo retorted and motioned to Krillin’s head.
“Be bald, have hair – there is no way to please everyone,” Krillin muttered in virtuous indignation.
Goku was on his way to Kame-senin, who finally had his magazine back. He and Oolong had their heads buried in its pages as Trunks approached him. “My dad said I could train with you.”
Goku glanced at Vegeta.
Vegeta felt that someone was watching him. He turned around with his usual cold mask on. That was Kakarott. Kakarott was near his son again. Vegeta felt a growl building in his throat, the tip of the tail around his waist began to twitch. He glared at the other full-blooded Saiyan and left.
Goku just shrugged his shoulders. Vegeta was not in the mood. Again. Goku and Trunks arranged the training time and went back to Krillin. Goku decided that the circle of perverts wasn’t the best milieu for the child. Krillin was telling some stupid joke to everyone.
“Have you heard the one about the horse and the policeman? No? So, here it is: A cop is leading a horse. A man sees them and asks, ‘Where are you taking that dog?’ ‘This is a horse, not a dog,’ the cop corrects the man. And the man says, ‘I wasn’t talking to you!’,” Krillin finished the story laughing.
“That’s not very nice…” Goku commented and Krillin stopped laughing.
“No, it isn’t. It really isn’t,” Krillin said and began to shout with laughter again. “Sorry, but that’s the point!”
Goku shrugged and decided to go back to the tables. Trunks followed him. He had seen that Goten was doomed. He was trapped in women’s circle now.
“But when Goten and I are Gotenks, we will beat you!”
“We will see about that,” Goku smiled at Trunks’ serious warning and disheveled his lavender hair. They were sitting at the table, their plates full.
Then the bedlam began. Goku felt a sudden ki flash but was too late to react. He got a blow to the back and tumbled down, taking the table and dishes with him. Goku ignored the pain and immediately got to his feet and…met eyes filled with anger and bloodlust. Everyone else just stared at Goku and his assailant in pure shock.
“Vegeta? What are you doing?” Goku spoke warily, trying not to enrage the other Saiyan more than he already was. He couldn’t understand what was going on. He was astonished to see Vegeta in the second Super Saiyan stage and ready to kill.
Yes, to kill… Goku hadn’t seen that expression in Vegeta’s eyes since… That seemed to be such a long time ago. But now Vegeta had that frantic-crazed gaze again, and Goku could read one message in those night-black eyes – hate. No, there was something more... Despair? Grief? But he clearly saw that Vegeta desired to kill him. Why? What did he do? What was happening? Vegeta was supposed to be his ally!
Vegeta attacked again.
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DBZ Love Garden
Welcome to DBZ Love Garden, your ultimate source for DBZ Yaoi/Gay/Boy's Love fanfiction, fanart, doujinshi, and comics since February 11th, 2001. Featuring pairings like Truhan (Gohan x Trunks), Kakavege (Goku x Vegeta), and more. Discover classic masterpieces and high-quality yaoi doujinshi scanlations, plus a detailed gay Kamasutra guide. Warning: Content not suitable for underage viewers. Viewer discretion is advised.
