Goku could see the man watching him even though his back was to him. It was Vejita. He was wearing his usual dark blue spandex bodysuit with white boots and gloves.
Then, just like that, Goku crumpled to the forest floor, his hair returning to its natural black and his ki dropping to almost undetectable. He was completely out of breath and gasped for air now and then.
"Kaka…" Vejita said as he ran over to the fallen warrior, "Kakarotto, what the Hell were you doing?"
"I dunno." Goku answered as he pulled himself up in a sitting position with much effort.
"Were you training?" Vejita asked, keeping his usual arrogant tone.
"Nah, just calmin’ myself down."
Vejita pondered what the younger man had just said, "What the Hell do you have to calm down about?"
Goku didn’t answer. Instead, he let his earlier thoughts return to him… Vejita. What was Vejita’s purpose? He had Bulma, but did he care for her? He also had Trunks. Goku knew that deep down the rigid prince cared for his son, but the most important thing to Vejita seemed to be strength. There was no reason to be strong anymore though. Maybe Vejita was having the same difficulties he was having.
"Vejita…" Goku started, watching as the older man plopped down on the ground a few feet away from him, eyeing him while wearing his usual scowl.
"What?" Vejita spat, annoyed with the fact that the third class idiot was so much more superior to himself.
"What’s your purpose?"
Puzzled, Vejita quickly glanced at Kakarotto, "My purpose?" he asked, more to himself.
Vejita thought about it for a moment, but he really could think of any answer. Was this some kind of trick? Ideas turned over in the prince’s mind. Love? No. Family? No. Friendship? No. To protect and defend? Certainly not.
"Strength." Vejita finally said, letting his tone transform into something a little too friendly.
Vejita immediately found his arrogance, "Strength is my purpose."
Though Goku was in quite a bit of pain, he cracked a smile. He’d known the answer to that question all along.
"What’s so fucking funny?"
"Strength. That’s a good answer. It’s all I could come up with for myself. Other than defense, but what’s the use anymore."
"Kakarotto, I don’t know what the Hell you’re talking about." Vejita said, a little more than confused at the innocent man’s sudden case of depression.
"All I have in this life is my sons and myself. I try ta keep my sons happy and myself healthy, but there just doesn’t seem ta be a point ta any of it." Goku said, gasping now and then as his breathing finally returned to normal.
Vejita knew what the warrior meant, even though he was doing a bad job at explaining it, "What about your mate?"
"Chi-Chi? I dunno…" Goku mumbled, noticing that his vision was blurring.
Vejita smirked, "Love, huh?"
"I thought I loved her, but…" Goku wasn’t sure of the few tears that streamed down his cheeks since it was the first time in his life that he’d ever cried, but the loneliness that he’d been completely unaware of bombarded his heart all at once.
It was a loneliness that had been building over the many years even when he was with Chi-Chi. He hadn’t known it until now and it hurt. It hurt really bad, and he hated letting Vejita see how weak he really was.
Vejita was completely shocked. He’d never seen the warrior shed tears. Long ago, at the hands of death and Freeza, Vejita had released his worst fears and wept. Kakarotto had witnessed it all. It was dumb to think like a child, but the childish thought came to his mind… Now we’re even.
"You’re not as kind as you think you are. I’ve seen the real you." Vejita said, not knowing exactly how this was going to comfort the younger man.
Goku’s thoughts quickly began examining what Vejita had just said.
"A moment ago. When you were still raging, I could see through you. See your true colors, because inside you’re ugly. Ugly like me."
Goku was shocked. Was he really that similar to Vejita? Goku was a simple man. He’d always been simple, but now he felt the most complex feelings swirling together in the pit of his stomach.
"Vejita…" Goku whispered as he looked up to see the prince staring at him, "Do ya feel what I feel?"
"Uh… How the Hell am I supposed to know? I don’t know how you feel." Vejita snapped, trying to keep his mask in check and doing a miserable job at it.
"Well, are you unhappy?"
Vejita was surprised. He never figured Kakarotto to be the unhappy type. He glanced back up at the younger man to find him waiting patiently with a very serious expression. One he didn’t have too often. Vejita found himself examining the details of the warrior’s features. The black windows to his soul and his smooth pale skin. Now that he thought about it, Kakarotto was a very handsome man. Handsome wasn’t enough though… He was beautiful. The question Vejita had been asked was forgotten as he found himself out of control.
Goku let the shock of the moment sink in as he watched Vejita stand and step closer to him. The Saiyajin prince kneeled only centimeters away and kept those icy black eyes locked on his. A surge of warmth overtook Goku’s body and he allowed Vejita to continue moving closer. He wanted the warrior to move closer. At the last moment, Goku let his eyes slide shut.
Vejita also closed his eyes at the last moment as he pressed his lips to Kakarotto’s. He held himself up with his arms positioned on either side of the younger man’s hesitant body. Surprisingly, Kakarotto didn’t pull back or refuse. Instead, he slightly parted his lips, granting Vejita permission inside. Inhaling deeply, Vejita took in the taller man’s scent.
Goku could feel the seconds ticking by in time with the beat of Vejita’s heart, which he could feel through the older man’s chest that was pressed so firmly to his own. Goku wasn’t sure of these feelings. In an unsure moment Goku felt the loneliness lift but only for a moment. Then, he came back to himself… Something strange was happening. Wait a minute… Vejita was kissing him. They were kissing. Something was definitely in the air. One thing was for sure. Vejita was delicious. Goku could feel the other man’s tongue searching every inch of his mouth.
Vejita turned his head slightly for deeper access and plunged his tongue even further into the wanting mouth. He could feel Kakarotto reacting. The younger man’s tongue was beginning to do some exploring of it’s own.
Suddenly, reality hit him. He was kissing Kakarotto. He was kissing his enemy. Quickly, Vejita pulled back and watched as the younger man’s eyes remained closed as if waiting for more.
Ready for rejection and disapproval, Vejita was at his feet and turning to go. What had just happened? He didn’t even remember how he’d gotten into that situation. All he knew was that Kakarotto was raised among the people of Earth and they all thought that homosexuality was a sin. Of course, Vejita knew better. On planet Vejita, the home of the Saiyajin, there had been many homosexual couples and mates. It was common. That was a long time ago though, and the planet Vejita no longer existed, thanks to Freeza.
Vejita just decided to keep walking. If Kakarotto wanted him as much as he wanted the younger man, then he’d call out to him.
Goku watched as Vejita continued to walk, getting further and further away. In his moment of sorrow Goku had told the prince that he no longer loved his wife. How that happened he had no idea, but somehow they had ended up kissing. Much to his surprise, Vejita didn’t punch him in the nose. It was wrong. It had to be. He didn’t know anyone that was in a same sex relationship. Surely, Vejita was disgusted to have found himself in such a position only seconds ago. That was why he’d pulled back so suddenly. Goku decided to just let things be. To just pretend it never happened.
Vejita took the hint when the silence continued. So, with one graceful movement he blasted off into the cool night sky. This time he’d stay in his little clearing no matter what he heard or sensed. It would only get him into trouble.
