Chapter Text
I just couldn’t believe it. I was shocked into silence.
Gohan, my own son…
What the hell was happening to my life? What the hell was wrong with my family? The perfect image I had in my mind was so far from what had manifested in the course of 24 hours.
I held Gohan back as Goten’s eyes rolled back into his head. He was bleeding. He needed a senzu bean or a regeneration tank. I felt Vegeta release Gohan. He immediately went to Goten.
“Bardock?” Vegeta called over his shoulder. He raised one hand in disgust. It was covered in blood.
Chichi screamed. Gohan saw the blood as well and froze. Perhaps he was remorseful, but none of that mattered now.
“Gohan,” I said to his ear. “We need to get out of here. We’re going to talk, just you and me.”
He shook his head slowly. “Dad…I’m so sorry…I just…I couldn’t…”
I didn’t know what to say. I wanted to say that everything would be fine and that I would fix it and everything would go back to the way it was just a day ago when we were having a wonderful country breakfast before getting ready for Bulma’s party…
But it wasn’t okay. It wouldn’t be fine. My son…he…
I couldn’t even bear to think it.
I focused on the energy of a low-level lizard in the desert of this hot planet and Instant Transmissioned right out of that palace.
I dropped Gohan’s limp form to the sand. He made no move to get up.
I stepped a few paces away from him, focused on Vegeta’s ki, and left him there alone.
After all…what could I have possibly said to an incestuous pedophile?
***
A few hours later, we were all gathered again in my parent’s small living quarters. Goten was still healing in the regeneration tank. Gohan was still gone.
“He’ll be fine,” Toma assured my wife. “He won’t even have a scrape when he comes out of there.”
“On the other hand,” my birthfather interrupted. “I have some rather disturbing news.”
Chichi’s eyes widened as she clung to my arm. “No more! I can’t take any more of this!”
Bardock looked down sadly. “Perhaps it can wait a bit longer.” He looked sideways at Toma. They both looked weary.
“Where’s Piccolo?” Krillin suddenly asked, looking around.
We mimicked him. I didn’t have to use his ki signature to know that he was with Gohan. He was doing what I couldn’t.
“Doesn’t matter,” Vegeta sniped. “He’s a big green bean. He’ll find his way back.”
My birthfather covered his mouth to keep from laughing.
The door to the laboratory suddenly flew open to reveal the king. I didn’t know what to think. I still felt irrationally loyal to him, but the fact that he slept with my son was disturbing.
“What happened?” he snapped, closing the distance between the door and the regeneration tank in a few long strides.
“Just a brotherly quarrel,” Vegeta offered. I was thankful he left out the details.
“It is forbidden to attack a helpless fertile! The brother shall be punished!” King Vegeta raged.
“Oh, I promise you, father.” Vegeta continued. “Goten’s about as helpless as Raditz is. He’s been trained to fight since he was a boy.”
King Vegeta took a breath as he watched Goten float in the same-colored liquid Vegeta had been in just the day before. “I see.”
“Nothing to worry about, sire.” Bardock added.
King Vegeta looked away to his son. “Vegeta,” he began. “I thought about what you said yesterday…and I’ve discussed it with the Elites. I’ve decided to allow your presence at the counsel meetings from now on.”
I’d never seen Vegeta’s face light up like it did at his father’s words. He almost smiled.
“Father, I—”
King Vegeta held up his hand. “You’ve earned their respect, Vegeta. The Elites don’t look at you as they would a fertile. They look to you as their leader, as their prince. As my heir.”
Vegeta raised his head with pride.
The king continued. “As long as you promise me that you’ll choose a companion before your first heat, that is.”
Vegeta glared. “There won’t be one,” he insisted in a voice just above a whisper.
The king threw his head back and laughed, causing everyone in the room to jump. “Oh Vegeta…you really are my son. So much pride.” He smiled. “But you have to see the potential you possess.”
“Potential.” Vegeta repeated, crossing his arms over his chest. “I believe I’ve already proved more than my ‘potential,’ father.”
The king took Vegeta by his shoulders and turned him around, away from the rest of us. I spared a glance to my left. Bulma was straining to hear what they were saying, but my Saiyan ears heard them easily.
“Vegeta, you’re by far the strongest Fertile that has ever lived. With the right warrior, do you know how strong your sons could be? You have the ability—”
“AN ABILITY THAT I WOULD GLADLY GIVE UP!” Vegeta roared, pulling roughly out of his father’s arm.
“Vegeta—” the king began.
“I’ll be in the arena should any poor fool have a death wish,” he snapped and left the lab.
***
The word was out in literally ten minutes. I had decided to give Vegeta a little time to warm up before I headed to the training arena. By the time I got there, there were already at least two dozen Saiyans watching.
“Look at that!”
“Wow…that’s…impressive.”
“He’s so…”
I looked to the center of the arena. Vegeta was there, dressed in his usual blue spandex. He punched roughly into the air in quick succession before performing a high roundhouse kick then landing perfectly on his feet only to launch himself into the air to do the same again. I crossed my arms over my chest and studied him. He was enraged, and his performance showed it. He was a bit sloppy.
“Fuck…I forgot how sexy he is.”
My head snapped to the right. Raditz was standing next to me, his arms also crossed, his eyes locked on Vegeta.
I scoffed. “Vegeta wouldn’t like it if he heard you say that.”
Raditz snorted. “Oh, so now you’re an expert on what Vegeta likes, huh?” He cocked his head to sneer at me.
I turned completely to look at him, uncrossing my arms in the process. “And what the heck is that supposed to mean, Raditz?”
He looked back at Vegeta and licked his lips. “Oh, I don’t think you’re as naïve as you make yourself out to be, little brother.”
I sighed. “I’m married, you know.”
Raditz chuckled again. “Oh yes. That Earthling woman.” He covered his mouth to keep from laughing. “Your charade is almost as pathetic as Vegeta’s.”
I’d had it. I blew my stack.
I shoved Raditz roughly against the concrete wall of the training arena by his neck. My face was inches from his. “What the fuck do you know? Huh?” I slammed his head back against the wall. “You don’t know anything, okay?”
I let go of him, disgusted at myself. He grabbed his throat and rubbed it gingerly, smiling all the while.
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled stupidly. My hand went to the back of my head. I shut my eyes, ashamed of what I’d done.
Raditz just chuckled hoarsely. “I can’t wait for you to really let go, Kakarot.” He laughed again, throwing his head back. “I wonder if anyone will survive.”
That day, Vegeta and I sparred for the first time in a month. I almost killed him. Accidentally, of course. But I pushed him too hard.
I’d just never been so mad in all my life. Everything that had happened with Goten and Gohan and Raditz just all seemed compounded into one horrible feeling of hatred. And for some reason, Vegeta completely understood.
We both passed out sometime in the middle of the night, right in the middle of the arena, long after the spectators had left us to our mad dance.