Vejita’s eyes fluttered open, hearing a familiar sound. Then he felt the weight of the naked man clinging to him.
"Kakarotto…" he said, rubbing the larger man’s back.
"Yeah?" Goku asked, slowly sitting up, feeling a sting of pain shoot through his abdomen, as he yawned exaggeratedly.
Vejita sensed his pain and let concern wash over his face, "You okay?"
Goku nodded, surprised and pleased with Vejita’s reaction, "What is that…?"
Vejita slowly stood, leaning over and giving his mate a gentle kiss on the forehead, "The phone."
Goku watched as his lover made his way to the house, disappearing inside. Then, it dawned on him. Vejita had his tail back. Quickly, he reached around to his backside. He had a tail too. Stumbling somewhat, Goku followed Vejita into the house to see that he was hanging the phone up.
"We have our tails…" he said, a grin spreading across his face.
"Hn." Vejita said, stepping towards the bedroom.
Goku followed the older man. Soon they were both dressed and heading into the kitchen. Food. How could he have forgotten about food?
"Who was on the phone?" he asked, watching as Vejita prepared some sort of breakfast.
"Your oldest brat…"
"Gohan?" Goku interrupted.
"He said there’s some kind of reunion at that woman’s place in a couple weeks."
As they sat at the table, eating their late-in-the-day breakfast, Goku continued the conversation, "Let’s go."
"Fine, but I don’t want to stay long." Vejita scoffed, rising, taking his and Kakarotto’s plate to the sink.
Goku smiled, rubbing his face with his hands to wake up better. He let his hands drop to his neck to continue the rub, but stopped at a sharp pain, making a small yelping sound. Goku was surprised to see Vejita by his side so quickly.
"Don’t touch that. It will be sore for a while." Vejita scoffed, realizing it was nothing too serious.
"Touch what?" Goku asked innocently.
Vejita smirked, leaving the room and returning with a hand mirror from the bathroom. He held it before his mate to show him the wound.
Goku’s eyes grew wide, "You marked me?"
"Yes. You’re mine." Vejita said, gently dropping the mirror to the table, crossing his arms and somewhat surprised to see Kakarotto smiling.
"Hai, I am yours." The younger man whispered, reaching out and gently pulling Vejita to him.
Smirking, the prince pressed his lips to his mate's, slipping his tongue into the warm mouth.
Goku sucked lightly on the oh so talented tongue of his dear prince. His mate.
___________________________
Bulma was somewhat disappointed that no one had arrived yet, but she knew they were coming. This time it would be held outside. That way she could keep an eye on everyone and hopeful not get her house blasted to pieces. She had tables and chairs set up with umbrellas blocking the bright sun. Her mother had prepared numerous appetizers and had them set up on each of the tables.
"Mom, when’s Goten gonna get here?" Trunks whined, slouching in his chair.
"In a minute. Be patient." Bulma answered.
"I’d better go get your father." Mrs. Briefs said, rising from her seat across from Bulma.
Bulma nodded, then turned her head to the sound of the gate creaking. It was Chi-Chi, Ox King, Gohan, and Goten.
"Hiya, Trunks!" Goten exclaimed, running up to his best friend.
"Hi! What took you so long?" Trunks replied as the two boys ran around the side of the house to play.
"Hi, Bulma." Gohan said, approaching his long time friend along with his mother and grandfather.
They all sat at the table along with Bulma’s mother, who’d just returned, "Your father said he’d be out in a minute."
Bulma nodded, "So, Chi-Chi, how are things?"
Chi-Chi smiled lightly, "They’re getting better. Uh, Goku moved out a while back… Right after the fight."
Bulma was surprised, "I’m sorry. Don’t worry. He’ll be back."
Chi-Chi nodded, trying to keep the smile plastered on her face. It was just too strange to talk about. She still didn’t understand any of it.
Gohan had learned of the truth from Piccolo and knew well enough that his father wouldn’t be returning home.
"Hey, guys!" Krillin called, entering the large yard.
Bulma looked up to see Krillin, Number Eighteen, Marron, Meijin Roshi, and Oolong all exiting a large aircraft and making their way over.
"Hiya, Krillin." Gohan said, stepping over to shake the hand of one of his best friends.
Roshi, Gohan, and Krillin all sat at a table, chatting about Gohan’s girlfriend Videl.
"Hey, look. It’s Yamcha and Tien." Roshi said before gulping down the last of his beer.
"Hey, guys. What’s happening?" Yamcha asked as he took a seat beside Tien and Chiaotzu.
"Hey, Puar." Oolong said as the catlike being approached him at the snack bar.
"Hmph, bully." Puar chimed, quickly turning away to return to Yamcha’s side.
"Well, if I were you Gohan, I’d marry her." Yamcha said, followed by his usual laugh.
"What? It’s not like that!" Gohan protested, noticing a familiar ki behind him, "Piccolo-san!"
"Hey there, Piccolo, have a seat." Roshi said, motioning to the empty chair beside him.
The Namek sat, enjoying the company and conversation without joining in it.
Number Eighteen sat with Bulma, Chi-Chi, and Ox King, her daughter sitting in her lap. She listened to the two women gossip about their failing relationships and wondered if she’d ever end up like that. Hopefully not.
------------------------------------------------
"I have a bad feeling about this, Kakarotto." "Come on…" Goku whined as they neared Capsule Corporation.
"Hn. Fine, but remember… I don’t want to stay long."
Goku nodded, lowering to the ground as the group of people that were his friends came into view.
"Hi, guys!" he announced in his usual happy tone.
"Hey, Goku, have a seat!" Krillin said, motioning for him to pull up a chair.
Soon, the two men were seated around the table. Goku had joined in the conversations ranging from women to battles. Vejita, however, remained quiet, keeping his arms crossed over his chest. Things seemed to be just as they’d always been. However, no one brought up the strange events that had taken place during their last battle.
"So, Goku, I hear ya moved out…" Krillin said, hoping to understand what was going on in his best friend’s life.
"Yeah. Me and Chi-Chi split up." Goku said in a flat tone.
"Dad, you’re never coming back?" Gohan asked, quietly, intending for the statement to be for his father’s ears alone.
"Hn." Vejita said, gaining all their attention.
"What’s that supposed to mean?" Yamcha asked rudely.
"It means that that was a foolish question. Kakarotto couldn’t handle living without his brats." Vejita scoffed, throwing Gohan a look of disappointment.
"He was just asking, Jita." Goku said, looking up to his son, smiling softly. For a moment, the others paused to glance at one another, trying to confirm if they’d heard right.
"What about Mom?" Gohan asked, letting the emotional turmoil he’d been holding back tighten its grip on his heart. It had to be true… Here his father was, sitting far to close to a cold hearted bastard that was a fierce enemy not that long ago. Unless there was something strange going on… Like, maybe his father was being controlled or brainwashed. It wasn’t unbelievable. His father had never been known for his brains.
Roshi chugged another beer. This was all too much for him to comprehend sober.
"She’ll be fine with time. Once she gets used to me not being there, she’ll be better off." Goku admitted.
"Goku, what’s that? Battle wound?" Tien asked, noticing the scar on his friend’s neck, hoping to change the uncomfortable subject.
"Uh…" Goku didn’t know how to answer. He wanted to be honest with his friends, but he didn’t know how they were going to take it. It had been hard for him to accept the idea of two men together, how was he going to convince them?
"Man, looks like ya got bit by something." Yamcha said, taking a closer look.
"No doubt a woman, eh?" Roshi said, raising his eyebrows in a suggestive manner, holding his mug of beer up, sloshing the foamy liquid in the clear glass container.
Goku looked to Vejita for help but only received a smirk and a shrug. Finally, he decided to not go with the convincing idea. Why did he want to convince them, anyway? He just wanted to inform them, and hopefully, they would understand.
‘It’s up to you.’ Goku was surprised to hear Vejita’s words in his mind but immediately understood. It was part of the bond they now shared.
"It’s Vejita’s mark." Goku said honestly, quietly.
"Vejita’s mark? What the Hell does that mean?" Roshi asked, motioning to Mrs. Briefs that he needed another beer.
"Well, it means I’m his. Forever." Goku said, watching as the look of confusion crossed all of their faces.
Vejita suddenly stood, ‘I’m going to get something to eat.’
Goku nodded, watching as his love walked away.
"Dad, Vejita has his tail back!" Goten exclaimed, diving into his father’s lap, "Hey, and you do too!"
"Cool!" Trunks agreed, climbing into his father’s chair, kicking his legs in the air in a steady rhythm.
Giggling, Goten chimed up again, cutting off the others questioning, "You smell like Vejita!"
Trunks slapped a hand over his own mouth, fighting back the laughter as he watched his best friend sniff the orange material of his father’s gi like a dog.
Piccolo looked up at the odd statement in time to see the powerful warrior blushing lightly.
"Goku! I can’t believe you had the nerve to show up! After what you put me through… After what you’re putting your sons through!" Chi-Chi shrieked, interrupting all their thoughts.
"Mom…" Gohan whispered, hoping that his mother would calm down. He had been quite confused and disgusted by the whole situation, but he’d live, and Goten seemed to be doing fine.
"Uh… I don’t…" Goku stammered, completely confused by his wife’s… His ex-wife’s outburst. That’s when it hit him. She was alone. Sure, the boys were there with her, but she had no one to talk to… To sleep beside.
"I’m sorry." He whispered, casting his gaze to the ground.
------------------------------------------------
"Vejita… I need to talk to you." Bulma said, approaching her love. He was standing near a long rectangular table cluttered with dishes of assorted appetizers.
"What?" he asked with a scowl on his face. Glancing up, the prince could see that this was going to be a serious talk… Perhaps even a heart to heart. Ugh. He looked over her shoulder to avoid seeing the emotion in her eyes. He could see that most of the guests were gathered around the table he’d just come from. Number Eighteen and her brat were left alone with Ox King since it seemed that Chi-Chi had decided to join the others and Bulma had come to him. Then, he saw his young son and his mate’s youngest brat trot away from the crowd whispering and giggling as they went around the side of the large house.
"It’s about us…" Bulma began, nervously fingering the thin red straw that extended from the mouth of her Diet Coke, "I miss you, and I was wondering what was going on in your life."
"Hn… Is this an attempt to persuade me to come back, because it’s impossible."
Bulma tensed up from the simple statement, "No, I just don’t understand what’s going on with you."
"There’s no reason for you to understand it." The prince said coldly.
"Would you give it rest?! I’m trying to be a part of your life. You are the father of my son." Bulma said, adding a hint of rudeness to her tone. She never could figure out why he brought that side of her out.
"Hn… What is it you want to understand?"
"It’s just that… Well, you and Goku seem to be closer than ever… Almost like best friends… I was just wondering if you moved in with him." She said with a curious questioning in her now-more-than-ever feminine voice.
With sudden almost friendly honesty, Vejita complied, answering the woman, "Yes, Kakarotto and are living together. It’s hard to explain how or why we’ve grown so close."
Bulma nodded. It was just as she’d suspected. The battle must have brought out Goku’s Saiyajin instincts. That’s most likely why he’d left Chi-Chi and moved out with Vejita. They probably live it up sparring everyday and doing… Whatever it was Saiyajin enjoy doing. They were once enemies, and now they’re best friends.
Vejita swallowed the last morsel of food that he’d been holding, suddenly looking up. He felt a mix of feelings… Sorrow, shame, regret… They were Kakarotto’s feelings. Narrowing his eyes, Vejita looked across the large lawn to see that his mate was being verbally attacked by that damn hellcat.
