Okay, this is kind of a monster of a fic for me, which all started with a simple idea that got way out of hand: Raditz coming back to life a few years down the road. I had a basic idea of where I wanted to go with it when I started, but these characters keep having other ideas! Needless to say, I have no idea how this damn thing is going to end, but I have to have faith it will end. Somewhere. Sometime. I hope! Anyways, I hope all you folks enjoy, and I have to give huge thanks to the readers who’ve already R/R…I never thought anyone would think much of this piece, and it’s been a huge boost to hear that not only do people like it, they want to find out what’s going to happen next. You have my sincere gratitude, peeps.
They’re telling me what happened now, but I can’t really pay attention. I’m too shocked, and too caught up in staring at my prince. He seems so much older now...I suppose from what they’re telling me he is older. Old enough to have two children, and one of those children nearly an adult now. How long did they say it had been? Over twenty years. I had been older than Prince Vegeta when I came to this backwater planet. But when you’re dead, you don’t age.
He still looks so beautiful, though, standing there in those strange Earth clothes, scowling at me furiously. Such beautiful eyes, like black glass, burning holes in me. He broke my heart so long ago, now…but it doesn’t seem like long at all to me. I can’t really remember much about my death, or what happened after…everything is blurry. I suppose that’s what happens when you’ve been dead awhile, though Kakarot seems to remember everything just fine. He explained to me how he died, but I can’t remember the details of that, either. Can’t blame that on anything but my short attention span, though. But how am I supposed to concentrate on these big issues when Prince Vegeta is standing there like some sort of earth-bound god, perfection incarnate?
A large hand waving in front of my face brings me back to reality. Sort of. I mean, maybe this is some sort of dream, it’s weird enough to be. I look over at my little brother, bewilderment obvious on my battered face.
“Uh, yeah?”
Kakarot sighs, asking me carefully, “Raditz, have you heard a word I’ve just said?”
“Um…no?”
Prince Vegeta snarls at my brother, “I told you this was a waste of time, Kakarot. But once again, you had to let your ridiculous sentimentality get the best of you.”
Kakarot just smiles guilelessly at my prince, one hand behind his head in an embarrassed gesture. “Geez, Vegeta, you know he just got wished back. We’ve never seen anyone dead that long get brought back. I bet you’d be confused, too. Of course, it didn’t help that you pounded him a little…”
“He was attacking you, you fool! What did you expect me to do?” Vegeta turns those wonderfully intense eyes to my brother, and my heart twists painfully in my chest. Of course, they’re perfect for each other.
“Well, it’s not like he could hurt me. I mean, he’s way below my power level…he’s weaker than almost anyone we know!” Kakarot explains earnestly. It’s true. Compared to these two, I’m nothing. They could both eradicate me in the blink of an eye. But when I first saw my brother standing there, all I could remember was that we had been fighting, and I saw my prince, and I wanted to show him I wasn’t a failure. But of course, he just knocked me across the room, and then explained that things were different now.
I sigh heavily, leaning my head into my hands as I listen to Prince Vegeta scold my brother for being so foolish as to wish me back. I gather that he felt sort of bad about killing me, and figured that if even the Prince of all Saiyans could become what he called a “good guy”, then I deserved a chance. Especially since I was his brother. I think he had wanted to wish Nappa back, too, but from the way they talked, I guess Prince Vegeta vetoed that one. I’m glad of that, at least. Nappa was such a pain in the ass.
Finally Kakarot turns back to me, and says brightly, “So you’ll be living with me now! Now that Gohan’s got his own place with Videl, his room is free, and you can stay there. I’m sure Chichi won’t mind.”
Prince Vegeta just snorts. I guess he doesn’t think much of Kakarot’s wife, but then she would be competition, I suppose. I wonder if my brother even knows Vegeta has the hots for him. Looking into his clueless black eyes, so different from mine, I’m sure he doesn’t. How can we even be brothers? I want to just take off, fly away from here, never come back. But where would I go? My people have been dead a long time, and now Frieza is, too. I have no space pod, and it seems like Kakarot’s dog could probably take me out in a fair fight. Besides, my prince is here. Even if he didn’t want me back, I should stay near. Father wouldn’t want me to run away.
“Alright, Kakarot,” I say meekly. I’m still so confused…
“And we’ll have to get you some clothes. That armor is kinda…well, it draws an awful lot of attention. You’re a little big for my stuff, but I’m sure Gohan can pick something up for you in town, and bring it in when he comes over for dinner tonight.”
Dinner. With my family. My brother, and my sister-in-law, and my nephews. How strange. I never thought I would have a family, not after Vegeta-sei was wiped out. I feel completely fucked up, my face still hurts from Prince Vegeta’s foot, and I have no idea what I’m going to do with the rest of my life, now. But I have a family. Maybe I can manage this. And I bet I can get Kakarot to teach me a few new tricks.
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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.