Welcome to Boxer & Rice

It was not until several hours later that Piccolo awoke to the sights and sounds of the approaching sunset, its brilliant colors once again washing over the landscape. He blinked his eyes a few times and looked down, curious to discover what was the source of his warmth. Using his shoulder as a pillow, one arm flung carelessly across his stomach, was Son Goku. Memories of their earlier activities came flooding back, causing a faint purple color to rise in the Namek's cheeks. Piccolo reached out to gently caress the man's face and to slide his fingers across the arm that was not covered by Piccolo's cloak. He smiled when Goku sighed and snuggled closer to him, the Saiya-jin's spiky hair tickling his neck. He himself sighed in content and lay back to stare at the sky.

He had not been aware that he had wanted to posses the Saiya-jin until earlier that day, when the gentle man had begun to cry, despair radiating from his aura. Piccolo frowned. That kind of desire was not spontaneous. No, he had obviously been attracted to his former enemy for years—he had just chosen to ignore it. Now that they had...mated, there was no point in denying it…

And there was the dilemma. Carefully, so as not to awaken his lover, Piccolo slowly extricated himself from Goku's grip, laying the sleeping form on the soft grass and pulling his cape more securely over him before dressing and taking a walk into the forest. He needed to think clearly and that was simply not possible with Goku's naked body so close to his own. He paused as he came to a clearing.

The others, Goku's family and friends, were obviously part of the reason for Goku's distress, he mused; the Saiya-jin had said as much. Piccolo growled. They did not deserve him. Surely not all of his family treated him badly, though—Gohan? The Namek shook his head. He knew the boy—he would never intentionally hurt anyone. There was more to this situation, he knew, and he would have to speak with Goku about it as soon as he woke up before making a final decision.

One thing he DID know for certain—Goku was his now. He had claimed him as his own only hours before and he would be damned if he would let his new mate return to a home where he felt unwanted—

"Come out," he growled suddenly. "I know you're there." He had sensed the faint ki for a moment before it was masked again. It was still too low to tell, but he had an idea who it was.

"Piccolo." The name was said like a curse and the prince of Saiya-jins stepped into the clearing, fury written across his features, arms tightly crossed.

"What do you want?" Piccolo snarled with poorly controlled anger. He knew this man was one of the causes of his mate's pain.

Vegita's lips curled back, revealing sharp canines. "You—how DARE you lay your alien hands on what is mine!"

Piccolo blinked. So, he knew. "Yours?" He snorted in disbelief and disgust, folding his arms as well. "Since when did you lay claim to him?"

Vegita's jaw tightened.

"The way I see it, Saiya-jin, you're the LAST person who has the right to even think about touching him. What?" he asked when Vegita growled, taking an aggressive stance. "You don't agree?"

Piccolo remained motionless. "Tell me, Vegita—did it ever occur to you that if you treated him like shit long enough that maybe, just maybe, he would start feeling like shit? Or was that your plan all along?"

Vegita halted his advance, a look of uncertainty flickering across his face.

Piccolo, however, did not stop there. "Since you probably saw and heard quite a bit, you nosy little bastard, why don't you tell me where making Goku feel like the lowest life-form on the planet fits into your plan of 'claiming' him. Or were you just waiting for another chance to kill him when he was at his weakest?"

"Urusai!"

"Answer the question, Vegita!"

The two of them glared daggers at each other for what seemed like forever before Vegita averted his gaze. "I am the prince of all Saiya-jins… Kakarotto is mine by right—"

"Stuff it, Vegita—that's bullshit and you know it."

After a period of silence, the Namek spoke again, this time his voice was softer. "What do you want, Vegita?"

The prince frowned, then looked Piccolo straight in the eye. "I want him, kisama! And you keep your—"

"Then tell him," he interrupted.

"Nani?" Vegita faltered.

* * * * * * *

Goku slowly opened his eyes and stretched, tensing his muscles and popping the bones in his back before sighing against the grass. He blinked. Where?

He sat up so fast his vision took a few seconds to follow the movement and winced, suddenly feeling a soreness he had not noticed before. He felt heat spread across his body at the remembrance of the cause of his mild discomfort, then paled.

"Piccolo?" he called, standing, clinging to the white cloth that surrounded his body. He looked all around him, the waterfall behind him, the boulders near the shore… He was nowhere to be seen.

Goku felt a kind of wild panic begin to take hold. Surely Piccolo had not...left...him. Not after what they had—

He reached out blindly with his ki, searching for the Namek's familiar energy—there! Goku sucked in a gasp of air when he felt that his new lover was not far. His relief was overshadowed by the realization that Piccolo was not alone and he quickly began searching for his clothes. His hands shook as he pulled on his gi pants and tried to tie the waist, eventually just tying a clumsy knot and leaving his shirt where it lie, before dashing off toward the ki signatures. He opted not to fly in order to keep his own ki suppressed; if there was trouble, he wanted to have the element of surprise.

It was not long before he could make out voices. There was a clearing up ahead and Goku slowed his pace and his breathing, suppressing his energy even more as he neared the edge of the trees. Piccolo's tall form was the first thing he saw, the man's height making him easy to spot. Now, who else was—

"I should kill you, you know."

Goku's eyes widened when he recognized Vegita's voice, his heart beginning to beat so fast he could hear it in his ears.

"You're not that stupid," he heard Piccolo say. "You know that that would be a huge mistake."

"Mistake!?" Vegita laughed with disdain. "The only mistake here is yours! What a joke! A third-class Saiya-jin with a green alien freak as his mate! You would be a disgrace to our planet if it was still in existence!"

A lump formed in Goku's throat even has he saw Piccolo bristle with anger. This...was the worst thing he could have imagined! Vegita knew—he would—

"Vegita," Piccolo growled in warning.

"It disgusts me!"

Goku had had enough. He stood tall, letting his ki spread over him in its natural state even as tears began to fall unnoticed down his cheeks. He barely noticed the other two as they obviously noticed his energy. So this was how it was to be, then… Even here, in this tranquil place he could find no peace…

Casting one last look at Piccolo and his prince, he turned and walked away.

Piccolo moved so fast Vegita did not have time to react before he was lifted off the ground by the front of his tank. "You temperamental, arrogant bastard! Haven't you caused enough damage?!" The Namek's energy spiked to incredible levels, his anger fueling it. He had been shocked when he had registered Goku's ki, but not nearly as surprised when he saw the look in his eyes before he had turned away; he looked worse than Piccolo had ever seen him.

He got right in Vegita's face and snarled. "You have two choices now, Vegita—your pride or Goku. Which is it gonna be?"

Vegita struggled against him. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't play stupid with me. We made a bargain, but all bets are off until you make it up to Goku."

"What are you saying?" Vegita's eyes widened.

"I'm saying, unless you go to him RIGHT NOW and apologize, I'll not let you lay a hand on him. Do you understand, Saiya-jin?! I will not have anyone hurt my mate again!" he roared.

Vegita flinched but shouted back, "He's not your—"

"What's it gonna be, Vegita? Decide now, because I won't wait around another minute before going after him myself—do you agree to our terms?"

Vegita's lips moved, a low growl in his throat. Piccolo dropped him and turned as if to leave.

"Yes, damnit, I agree!"

Piccolo faced him again. "Then what are you standing around here for?"

Vegita snarled, but exploded off the ground in the direction they had seen Goku retreat.

Goku was back at the waterfall, sobs wracking his frame as he pulled on his pale blue gi top. This was it. Soon, his whole world would be turned upside down on his head and there was nothing he could do about it. He did not regret his decisions, but he wished things could have ended differently…

"Kakarotto!"

Goku jumped in surprise and slight fear at the sound of his name and turned to find Vegita standing not three feet away from him. Eyes wide, he took a step backwards.

Vegita forced himself to relax, knowing that now was not the time to show aggression. He raised his hand and caught hold of Goku's wrist before he could retreat any further and lowered his voice. "Kakarotto, chotto matte."

The taller man seemed to regain some of his wits and narrowed his tear-glistened eyes. "What for, Vegita? I've already heard enough lectures from you on the inadequacies of my existence." With that, he wrenched his wrist free from the others grip and glared down at him.

Vegita seemed to fidget. "I—no, that's not what I meant—"

"Then what did you mean, Vegita? I getting tired of trying to understand how your mind works."

"I was angry—"

"Really ?I didn't notice." Goku was tired, and in pain—he was tired of everything, trying to keep his happy outward appearance when he felt like dying inside, so he let bitterness mask his pain.

"Kisama, it's not right! I should—"

Goku suddenly snarled. "What you should do is mind your own damn business, Vegita, and leave me alone! Piccolo is the only one who has seen me for who I am in Kami knows how long, and I WON'T have you speak badly of our relationship! If you want to go tell the others what a horrible person I am, then go right ahead! I don't care anymore!" By this time, he was nearly face to face with Vegita, his eyes flashing with Saiya-jin fury.

Vegita whispered, "Gomenasai." Then, just as Goku's eyes widened in surprise, he closed the distance between the two of them and sealed Goku's lips with his own, his hands burying in the taller man's hair and holding his head down as he ravaged his mouth. They broke away panting and Goku stumbled backwards in shock.

"What I was trying to say is that I should have claimed you for my own a long time ago," Vegita said.

"Nani?! I don't understand?"

Vegita growled in frustration. He was not good at this sort of thing. "I… I have wanted you for years, but I knew that I could never have you so I… I mistreated you...and I'm...sorry."

Goku's lips moved, but no sound came out. Finally, he found his voice. "I still don't understand?"

"He's trying to say that he wants your forgiveness for being such an asshole to you, Goku," Piccolo said, floating down beside them with a slight smirk on his face. Vegita growled. "Seems he's had the hots for you for years, but has been putting off doing anything about it until he could have you all to himself."

Goku looked from Vegita to Piccolo and back again. "Is this true, Vegita?"

"...yes."

"THEN WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU SAY SOMETHING!?" Goku exploded, surprising both of the others.

"What would I have said, Kakarotto? Leave your mate and come move in with me and mine?"

"Huh?" Goku tilted his head. Both?

Piccolo sighed. "Goku, put all this aside for a moment—will you come live with me and be my mate? Or do you still wish to remain married to Chichi?"

"I—no, I will ask Chichi for a divorce… I want to stay with you, Piccolo."

The Namek smiled gently. "I have another question, Goku."

"N?"

"Vegita and I have had a long conversation—you only heard part of it—concerning you."

"I can speak for myself, Namek," Vegita growled, then stepped closer to Goku. "Kakarotto… I know I do not deserve this, but I must ask you. Since Piccolo has already… claimed you, I wish to know your feelings regarding multiple bonding..."

Goku stared at him. "What do you mean? You mean you AND...?" He felt himself blush despite himself.

"Hai .Saiya-jins have much longer lifelines than humans, Kakarotto… I wish to stay with my first mate until she passes away. That is one of the reasons I have never said anything to you before—I planned on waiting until only you and I remained. Unfortunately," he looked over at Piccolo, "my plans have changed."

Goku blinked. "Then what do you mean by multiple bonding?"

Vegita looked the taller man up and down. "If you agree, I wish to go ahead and stake my claim on you until that time comes when I can have you to myself."

Goku gasped as Vegita suddenly wrapped his arms around his neck and pulled him into another deep kiss. Goku pulled his head back and looked over to his lover. "Piccolo?"

"Goku, I love you, but it is your decision to make. I will support you either way."

"Kakarotto," Vegita whispered into his ear, making him shiver. "Onegai… will you accept me, as well?"

"I—I...anou… " Goku was confused and aroused and frightened all at once. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, the reassuring scent from Piccolo and the spicy, musky scent of his prince intermingling and assaulting his senses. What did he want? He wanted.…

"Hai," he breathed at last, bowing his head to rest on Vegita's shoulder.

Vegita purred into his neck, nuzzling his skin, before moving to kiss him again. "Arigatou," Vegita breathed against his lips before licking his bottom lip. The prince then wrapped his arms around Goku and pulled their bodies together, pressing their arousals against another. Vegita gasped and began tugging at the other's clothing, panting as desire began to overwhelm his senses.

"Vegita!" he cried as his shirt was practically ripped from his body. "Wait a second, we—"

His words were suddenly replaced by a great intake of air as Vegita reached behind him to press with his palms against the base of Goku's spine. The shorter Saiya-jin continued to massage the area while latching onto one of Goku's nipples with his teeth. "Aaa...aa," Goku gasped, his whole body shaking and jerking of its own accord, pleasure streaking out across him and forming a haze in his mind.

Piccolo raised his eyebrows when Goku suddenly snarled and began to tear at Vegita's clothes, rocking their bodies together as he did so. Piccolo began to growl lowly in his throat in response to their open display—seeing his mate in such a fervor was very arousing. He began removing his own clothing.

Vegita moaned against Goku's mouth and wrapped his muscular thighs around the other man's waist, flexing his body to cause the most incredible friction between them. The prince threw his head back and screamed, Goku's hands finding his own tailspot and running his nails across it. "Kakarotto!"

Goku growled in response, pulling the prince's body even closer to his own with one hand on his tailspot, while the other began to tease his entrance. He heard Vegita gasp and moan with pleasure and he scraped his canines along his lover's neck, a deep purr beginning to grow and resonate between them. Goku himself let out a gasp when Piccolo suddenly grabbed him from behind and pulled him back against the Namek's solid form. He could feel Piccolo's rock-hard erection pressed against his lower back and he shivered.

"Go on, Goku," Piccolo murmured into his ear, sharp teeth nibbling the delicate shell.

Goku said nothing, but continued to touch Vegita, slowly entering him with two fingers. He twisted his fingers around and grinned ferally when Vegita screamed, bucking against him and moaning his name like a plea.

"Haa!" Goku panted as one of Piccolo's fingers breached his body and began some exploring of his own. His knees gave out when his lover rammed two thick fingers against his prostate. There, on their knees in the grass, the three of them continued to touch and caress each other into a state of extreme arousal. Vegita clung to Goku's neck like a lifeline and wrestled with his lover's tongue as his body was entered for the first time. At the same time, Piccolo had finished preparing his mate and swiftly took him as well. Both Saiya-jins cried out in approval, the movement causing even more friction between them. Piccolo slowly spread Goku's thighs and began a pace that made his mate moan with pleasure and buck his hips in sync.

Goku thought he would die from the double stimulation, heat rising in his body like a flame. He moaned and gasped and growled between his two lovers, Vegita's lithe, compact form writhing in pleasure beneath him, and the strong, solid form of Piccolo behind, pushing in and out of his body in long, hard strokes. He screamed again when he felt Vegita bite him. Instinctively, he let out a load growl and sank his own canines into the prince's tan flesh, marking him as his own and riding him even harder.

"Hnn...nnn...aaah!" Vegita arched against Goku, his body shuddering as he spilt his seed between them.

Goku buried his face in Vegita's neck and let out a series of short cries as he reached his own completion, followed soon after by Piccolo. The three of them collapsed to the ground panting, covered in sweat and fluids and clinging to each other tightly. Goku kissed Vegita thoroughly, then turned his head to Piccolo, who ravished his mouth, licking away beads of sweat that clung to his upper lip. They lay that way for many long minutes before deciding to bath in the stream that ran beside the rocks. There, between gentle kisses and caresses, they cleaned themselves thoroughly. Once finished, they climbed out and dressed in what was left of their clothing.

Vegita drew his new mate into another deep kiss before whispering, "Kakarotto, ai shiteru. Will you wait for me?"

Goku nodded. "Hai, Vegita. But Bulma—"

Vegita touched his face. "I keep no secrets from my mates, Kakarotto. Bulma understands the ways of our race better than any of the other earthlings—she may not speak to me for a month, but she will understand. From this moment on, she will be my sole companion until the day she dies. Then, you and I can resume our bond."

Goku nodded again solemnly and Vegita looked at Piccolo. "I expect you to take care of my mate, Namek."

"You should expect nothing less." Piccolo replied, and with that, Vegita was gone, leaving the two of them alone.

Piccolo drew his lover into his arms. "Are you all right with this, Goku?" he asked, touching his cheek.

"Hai. I'm ready to move on, Piccolo."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"Aa .But I will speak with them alone, first. I must tell Chichi the truth and how I feel—it's for the best. I love you, Piccolo," he said, standing on his toes to kiss him.

Piccolo growled. "Vegita's got one hell of a surprise if he thinks Nameks live short lives." He ran his thumb across Goku's lower lip. "He's going to have to get used to sharing. Think you can take us both?" he asked playfully, enjoying the color that spread across Goku's cheeks.

"Saa, if you're ready, let's get this over with. I'm anxious to take my lover home and show him around." Piccolo grinned wolfishly.

Goku blinked. "Okay."

As one, they levitated into the sky and flew in the direction of Goku's home.