As Goku moved forward to press his lips lightly against Vegeta’s, the prince gave a small smile as he leaned into the kiss and parted his lips. As their kiss deepened, their arms came up to embrace each other tightly.

Vegeta then did something he had never done before; he lowered his mental barriers, allowing the love and desire he felt for his mate to blaze out along their bond. He had always kept up tight barriers, never once losing his mental control even when his body lost it in the heat of the moment; past fears and stubborn pride had always held him back. Goku had not the mental training the Saiyan no ouji received when he was younger and often, his memories, thoughts and feelings would leak through their bond. Though Vegeta never actually pried into his mate’s mind, he knew of the younger Saiyan’s feelings for him.

After coming so close to losing his Kakarotto… Shimatta! What was pride? What was he afraid of? He had wasted so many years with Bulma, holding back because of his accursed pride and unfounded fears, though the equally stubborn onna finally managed to worm her way through his prickly defenses. No! He would not make the same mistake again!

Though the ouji still maintained closed walls around the deepest recesses of his mind where his darkest secrets were locked, Goku was able to catch a deeper insight into the complex labyrinth of the ouji’s mind and was stunned by the veracity and depth of the feelings his prince held for him. He saw random snapshots…fractured images…felt the conflicting emotions the prince had for him over the years… He saw it all from his prince’s point of view.

“Vegeta… I…” Goku moaned softly as his eyes fluttered shut, his head falling back. His mind was overwhelmed, and he could find no words to convey how he felt. Instead, the younger Saiyan’s equally intense and passionate emotions came flooding back, exploding gloriously through their bond.

To Vegeta’s surprise, it wasn’t as difficult as he thought to open up like that. He wasn’t sure what to expect – embarrassment? Rejection? The loss of control? Instead he now felt…peace…relief… That his mate now knew what he had been trying to say though he could not find the words.

There were still secrets Vegeta was not ready to reveal, horrors from his past before he came to Earth… But he would not dwell on that now. He pulled his attention back to the present and opened his eyes to see the shining visage of his mate, eyes still tightly shut and soft lips parted slightly.

Gently, he twisted at the waist and lowered the younger Saiyan onto his back. Purring throatily, the ouji crouched over the larger Saiyan, his hot tongue licking and swirling as he bathed his mate lovingly. His skilful hands massaged silken flesh, stroking away any last doubts.

Goku found himself drowning in his prince… For a moment, cold memories had threatened to overwhelm him again, but the warm palms that kneaded and caressed him were nothing like the cool, cruel hands from his nightmares. Instead of the musty, acrid smell he had associated with the ice-jin, Vegeta’s distinctive musky, spicy scent washed over him and assuaged his fears. A low answering purr rumbled forth from his deep chest as he abandoned himself to his mate’s ministrations. His hands reached down to fist in the prince’s soft raven locks as his head lolled to the side, his heated cheek coming to a rest on the cool sheets.

Slowly, almost leisurely, Vegeta took his time to make love to his mate. They usually coupled in a rough, heated, one might even say Saiyan fashion, but this time was different. This would not be just be quick, raunchy sex.

Moving lower to Goku’s hips, he paused momentarily when he felt the brawny Saiyan tense ever so slightly. Changing his mind, he flipped Goku onto his front.

Goku flinched a little when he felt intimate touches nearing his nether regions and flushed heavily in shame and agitation. K’so! He cursed his own groundless fears; this was his mate for kami’s sake! He panicked a little when he felt Vegeta’s warm body move away, thinking that he had offended the volatile prince, only to find himself quickly flipped over. Strong hands began kneading tense back muscles, loosening the knots where his muscles had twisted in the past few weeks.

With his knowledge of pressure points, Vegeta watched his mate turn to putty in his hands and smirked as his mate began mewing in pleasure. He rubbed the hollows in the back of the Saiyan’s skull firmly with his thumbs and watched in satisfaction as the slight furrows that had developed recently in Goku’s brows smoothed out. When he moved his hands down to knead the base of the heavily corded neck, Goku groaned loudly, and the tension visibly drained from his body. Slowly, he moved down the spine, then out under the shoulder blades, pressing hard on the three pressure points on either side.

Smirking even harder now, Vegeta slowly began to change tactics. His touches became more sensual and teasing as he quested lower, swirling and kneading around muscular hips and down chiseled thighs. Their mental link was still wide open, and the emotion Vegeta was now broadcasting over became pure desire.

Goku gasped as erotic images assaulted his mind, images of himself as viewed from the wicked prince’s perspective. He never knew the prince had such a vivid, creative imagination. As wave after wave of delicious imagery and sensations assaulted his mind mercilessly along with the relentless physical teasing touches, he lost the last of his fears and inhibitions and surrendered fully.

When a hand curled around the base of his tail, Goku did not flinch but sighed trustingly. When that hand opened up and skilful fingers started ruffling the soft fur on his sensitive tail, he arched back and up, wanting, needing more of the pleasurable sensations. A wet finger, then another started stretching and preparing him and his hips moved up of their own accord as he started panting frenziedly.

With a low growl, Vegeta thrust his hips forward and sheathed himself slowly. Pausing for a while to allow his mate to adjust, he started a hard, slow rhythm, burying himself deeply in his moaning mate. The larger Saiyan beneath him started moving, trying to get Vegeta to speed up, but the prince would have none of that and gripped his hips firmly.

Vegeta hissed in pleasure, throwing his head back as he continued to pump deeply and slowly, slamming hard into his mate’s tight velvet heat, reveling in the pleasured cries he was wringing from the mate. Kami! It felt so phenomenally good… So right. It had been too many long, lonely weeks…

Just as he sensed they were almost to the brink, he would pause for a while and breathe deeply before continuing, prolonging their pleasure in this manner. He *would* make this last… He would imprint this intimate moment forever for them… He would sear the awful memories and nightmares from his mate…

It drove Goku crazy, and he panted harshly. His prince was making torturous love to him mentally as well, relentlessly assaulting both his mind and body. His blood burned, his muscles were all clenched in delicious tension, his tail was curling and uncurling agitatedly, and he felt like he was going to burst as his breath came out in shallow, panting gasps. He was definitely sure he was going blind; all he could see were bright white sparks that danced wildly in front of him. All he could hear was the pounding of his pulse and the rushing roar of his blood. Very dimly in the background, he could make out a cracked voice screaming and mewing in delirium… Was that himself?

A furry appendage snaked down to stroke his neglected erection, and his hands fisted tightly in the sheets as his pleasure intensified. When Vegeta ascended and grew within him, that sent him over the abyss. He howled loudly as he spurted over the sheets, and his vision fractured into a blinding, swirling rainbow. Dimly, he could hear an answering primal roar as his ouji climaxed violently within him.

Their minds still linked, they rode the whirlwind of euphoria together, soaring higher as their physical bodies convulsed together in excruciating ecstasy. The overwhelming moment seem to stretch to infinity as they peaked, but though they tried to linger, they were slowly pulled back into reality.

Vegeta purred contentedly and blissfully as he watched his mate drift off into a fatigued sleep, a small smile lingering on the younger Saiyan’s countenance. He had opened himself to help his mate, never expecting that some of his own demons would be exorcised in return. He had heard stories of Saiyan bonds and how they could enhance lovemaking, but he had never dreamt it would be like this!

Still purring, the sated prince descended into welcome slumber.

-----

Goku stretched lazily, reviewing the events of the previous night over in his mind. To say that it had been mind-blowing was an understatement. He smiled happily as he remembered his mate’s loving gaze and sweet kiss when he awoke that morning. Vegeta had even gotten up earlier and brought breakfast in bed for them. After a leisurely breakfast, Vegeta went to train while Goku was contented to lie around in bed for a while longer.

Last night had also been the first time he had a restful, interrupted sleep. He had been suffering from nightmares. Though he did not tell Vegeta, it was hard to hide it from someone who shared his bed. Sometimes it was just a vague feeling of unease and cold, at other times, he relived every torrid detail of the times he was raped. Vegeta was right; he had to confront his problems, not run away.

Sighing, he got up and picked up the dishes, a blissful expression still on his face. ‘Geta had been so sweet!

When he neared the kitchen, he tensed momentarily when he realized that Zarbon was inside. Then, he squared his shoulders and walked in confidently.

The tall, blue-skinned fighter was washing up and looked up with a broad smile. “Ah, why don’t you place those dishes here? I’ll help wash them as well.”

“Thanks,” Goku handed him the dishes, then stood awkwardly.

“You guys were really noisy last night.” Zarbon threw a wicked smirk over his shoulder as Goku reddened.

“Err… Well…” Goku fumbled a little, then fell silent again.

“You know? I’m really envious.” Zarbon sighed, gazing down unfocusedly on the foamy suds in the sink. “I’m really jealous of the way you Saiyans can form life-long mates and mental connections.”

He turned to face Goku. “Vegeta was really worried out of his mind for you. He’s really devoted to you, even if he doesn’t say it or show it well. But that’s Vegeta.”

Zarbon’s words echoed in his mind as he made his way back to their bedroom. Zarbon was envious of them? He blushed in embarrassment as he recalled his petty jealousy of Vegeta’s and Zarbon’s friendship. Kami! I was such a baka! Any lingering doubts he had of Vegeta’s feelings were swept away fully by Zarbon’s frank admission.

Chapter 20: Secrets

Slowly, Goku began to come out of his depression. He started training again, though he had to start slowly as he was sorely out of shape.

It was quite an unsettling experience for him; the only time he had ever felt so weak was when he was recovering from the heart virus. All his life, his one constant source of personal pride had been his strength. He had always walked into a fight, somehow, confident of his ability to win. To have that taken away so abruptly had shaken him profoundly and left him feeling more than a little insecure.

Goku was doing pushups under 500x gravity when he felt Vegeta’s ki outside the door. Pausing in mid-push, he turned his head quizzically as the door hissed open.

“How about a light spar?” Vegeta smirked, pulling on his gloves. He was already dressed in his usual navy training spandex outfit.

“Of course!” Goku grinned as he got up. He waited patiently for Vegeta to finish his warm-up.

Resetting the gravity to 300x, the two moved apart and crouched down in fighting stances. It was a very familiar routine; how many times have they sparred like this before?

Vegeta made the first move and the pair exploded into a furious flurry of blows, zipping back and forth with blinding speed. However, it soon became obvious that Goku was having a hard time keeping up.

An uppercut caught the taller Saiyan in his jaw and sent him flying back. Vegeta smirked as Goku landed hard against the wall. “Come ON Kakarotto, surely you can do better than that.”

Goku picked himself up, frowning. For some reason, the mild taunt riled him, and he lunged again at the smirking prince with a snarl. Vegeta dodged the blow easily, and the two exchanged a barrage of punches, one finally clipping Goku on his shoulder. As he stumbled slightly, Vegeta followed up mercilessly with a flying roundhouse kick.

“You call that a fight? Pathetic weakling!” Vegeta scoffed. That too was familiar, however, this time, the prince’s caustic comments struck a raw nerve in Goku.

Pathetic weakling! Weakling! Weak! Weak! The taunt echoed in the younger Saiyan’s head and abruptly he stood up.

“You’re right Vegeta… I am weak.” The distraught Saiyan whispered brokenly, his eyes downcast. Before the stunned prince could react, he ran out of the room.

K’so! Vegeta no baka!! He slapped himself on the forehead in consternation. Why the fuck did I say that for?? And just when he was making progress too!

Goku had raised a defensive mental barrier when Vegeta tried to reach him, but Vegeta could still feel the deep hurt that leaked through his shields.

Go and apologize… Yet his body remained stubborn and still.

I am the Saiyan no ouji! I do not need to apologize to anybody! His usual angry excuse sounded lame and forced.

I’ll just see if he’s all right… With a resigned snarl, the prince headed out towards their bedroom.

Goku was seated with his arms around his drawn-up knees on their bed, facing away from the door when Vegeta entered the room.

Vegeta stood there uncomfortably for a few seconds, his arms crossed defensively as he tried find the words to say. “Kakarotto… I…I’m …”

“Go away…” Goku mumbled, his voice breaking slightly.

In a flash, Vegeta crossed the room and twisted Goku around by his shoulders, forcing the reluctant Saiyan to face him. “Dammit! Listen to me!”

“Nani?” Goku kept his gaze down, his tone a little sullen.

“I didn’t mean it… Sorry…” The last part was almost inaudible.

“Nani? Of course you meant it! You’ve always insulted me! This time, you were right, I was weak!” Goku yelled, his fragile emotions suddenly boiling over.

“If I wasn’t so weak, I wouldn’t be so depressed! I wouldn’t be here moping like this! If I wasn’t so weak, he wouldn’t have…” His voice hitched in a sob, and he dashed away a tear angrily.

Vegeta really felt like hitting himself then. Hard. “No, you’re not weak! None of what happened to you was your fault!”

When Goku kept sullenly silent, Vegeta sighed a bit and sat down behind him, wrapping his legs and arms around his mate’s larger frame and rested the side of his face on his lover’s back.

“Kakarotto… Search my mind. You know I don’t mean it… I guess I just got carried away by the spar. We taunt each other all the time when we fight…”

Hesitantly, Goku ventured into the ouji’s psyche. It was practically sacred domain; Vegeta hardly, if ever, let him in. Goku latched on to the part of the ouji’s mind that concerned himself and saw that Vegeta spoke the truth. Curious, he explored deeper…

/Shimatta!! Get out of there! I did not allow you access! Kisama!!/ Vegeta’s mental voice raged at him suddenly, and Goku flinched away, abruptly tumbling out of their link.

“Gomen nasai… Vegeta… I… I…” Goku stuttered, ashamed. He should not have done that; it was a gross invasion of privacy. Vegeta pushed himself off the bed and backed away, his dark eyes blazing in fury.

Vegeta was about to swear and rant again, but then caught himself. His anger faded as he crossed his arms and turned his back. “Now you know.” His deep voice was low and flat.

His malicious taunts and cold attitude had all been a front, his biting comments actually bitter thoughts about himself. He hated being weaker than the Earth-raised Saiyan… He had always been told since he was young that he was tested the strongest in his generation, and that he was destined to be the Legendary… His caustic insults were an attempt to reassure himself of his own strength and worth.

Goku scrambled up quickly and enveloped his smaller mate in a hug. “Vegeta… You are not weak, you are the strongest person I know. I really mean it… You are not only physically strong but mentally as well… I really admire you…” He lowered his mental walls, reaching out tentatively to his mate.

Suddenly, Vegeta broke out in laughter. “We are such bakas. All the while I was envious of your physical strength, envious of how I have to work so hard for something that came easily to you…”

“I was jealous of your wit and intelligence, your mental tenacity.” Goku grinned ruefully, moving around to face the prince. “Forgive me?”

“Baka.” Vegeta smirked teasingly as he pulled his taller mate down for a kiss.

-----

As Vegeta walked out of their bathroom, flaring his ki briefly to dry himself, he looked on curiously at his mate who was fiddling with the stereo. “What are you doing?”

“I wanna play more upbeat music…” Goku mumbled, rummaging through the stack of music discs.

Vegeta bared his fangs in mock anger. “And do tell, what is wrong with my music?” The ouji’s tastes leaned towards stately classical and smooth jazz.

“Boring…” Goku stuck his tongue out childishly.

Vegeta stared a moment, then started snickering. Shaking his head, he walked over to their wardrobe. “Whatever…”

“’Geta?”

“Hn.” Vegeta pulled on a pair of black gi bottoms.

“Would you dance for me?”

Vegeta choked a bit, and then recovered himself. “Nani?!”

“Remember that night at the club?” Goku gave his best puppy-dog eyes.

“I was drunk.” Vegeta muttered, wishing his mate didn’t keep bringing that up. Actually, he had been just a little high. For some strange reason back then, he felt the need to impress a certain Saiyan, and the alcohol merely lowered his inhibitions slightly. (See the prequel Clueless!)

“I… I saw you dance…” Goku hoped he wasn’t going too far. Vegeta paled, then flushed in embarrassment, then paled again. He knew exactly which dance the younger Saiyan was referring to.

“Why did you dance like that? Why don’t you dance like that for me?” Goku pouted.

“Baka! It wasn’t like that!” Vegeta sat down on the edge of the bed with a groan. Where’s a nice hole to bury your head when you need one?

“It was the only way to save you… With the ki collar on you, I wasn’t able to pinpoint your location. I needed an excuse to get close to Coolant’s personal quarters and … Entertainers pass through all the time. Believe me, if there was another way, I would have taken it. I hated doing that…” He crossed his arms defensively.

The magnitude of Vegeta’s action struck Goku like a lightning bolt, and the realization stole his breath away. His hand came up to stroke the ouji’s cheek lightly.

“Vegeta…” he whispered huskily.

A crimson blush crept up the ouji’s cheeks and stayed there as he kept his gaze fixated on some interesting spot on the floor. “It wasn’t as bad… The collar I wore wasn’t a ki collar. I was in control for once… I wasn’t forced to do it; I *chose* to do this time…”

Goku was deeply touched, and he reached forward to embrace his mate tightly, pulling the smaller Saiyan onto his lap, his eyes looking suspiciously shiny. “Oh Kami, Vegeta…”

They stayed in that position for a long while, and Goku was about to move away when Vegeta started speaking again, softly.

“It wasn’t that I disliked dancing… It was the loss in control that I hated more than anything else. It was like a game to Frieza, and we were the toys. He would gather an assorted group and pitch us against each other… Sometimes we were instigated to fight, at other times we were forced to dance…”

“They weren’t honorable fights either.” Vegeta gave a bitter laugh. “Sometimes we were restrained with ki bands, sometimes our wrists were lashed together. The fighting would take place in a pit, and the fight only stopped when one opponent is battered and unconscious. Those who were reluctant to fight were either beaten senseless or injected with substances that heightened aggressiveness.”

Goku inhaled sharply in anger. He had seen similar deplorable practices back on Earth, where naturally aggressive animals like pit bulls or certain species of fishes were forced to fight in a similar fashion.

“The dancing was worse. In a sadomasochistic way, I preferred the fights; even if I were beaten senseless, my power level would increase after every near death experience. Usually we would dance in turn, and the judged loser would be Freiza’s slave for the night… A horrible experience. Or the worst dancer would be killed, and the ‘winner’ would enjoy Frieza’s attentions for the night.” The prince’s voice dripped with icy sarcasm. “He knew how to play us against each other; friendships were weaknesses.”

“Kami…” No wonder Vegeta found it hard to open up to the Z sensei’s.

“Yet… Somehow, Zarbon and I managed to strike up an unusual friendship.” Vegeta’s lips curled into a small smile, as his eyes unfocused at distant memories. “Ours was also a dangerous friendship; we took care not to broadcast the fact.”

“Why?”

“Zarbon was branded on the thigh like me…”

Understanding lit the younger Saiyan’s eyes, and he remembered a previous conversation. “’Geta, you’ve mentioned that Nappa was branded on the ankle. What about Radditz?”

“Would you venture a guess?”

“Don’t tell me he was branded on the thigh as well!”

A smirk from the prince was his confirmation.

“But… I remembered that when he came to Earth, he was wearing spandex shorts under his armor!” Goku frowned in concentration.

Vegeta snickered. “Your brother was really vain. For some reason, he didn’t like wearing spandex pants so he would put some concealing cream over the mark. Zarbon was as vain, but he wore leg warmers instead.”

Goku listened, fascinated, as Vegeta told him about how he got to know Zarbon and how they became good friends. A few years after Vegeta had been taken aboard Frieza’s ship, the ice-jin developed an interest in the young prince and his long-haired guard, and Zarbon was sent to summon them. Somehow Zarbon felt sorry for the teenage ouji and gave him some good advice.

“What advice?”

“He gave us tips on what to do in those pit fights and taught us how to dance…” A smirk tugged at the prince’s lips. “And where to obtain lubrication and painkillers.”

“Painkillers?”

Vegeta rolled his eyes, snorting derisively. “We weren’t stupid; given sufficient time, we knew how to prepare ourselves, and we knew how to put up a convincing act.”

Vegeta grinned. “Actually your brother was quite a party animal himself. Between the two of them, they managed to thoroughly corrupt a sixteen year old. Radditz was my first in fact…”

“NANI?!” Goku couldn’t stop the growl that rumbled forth, even though he knew that Vegeta had not been a virgin when he first met Bulma.

Vegeta snickered again. “Well, I had to… And I would much rather my first time be a pleasurable experience, preferably with a Saiyan. I would NOT even have considered Nappa…”

“How… How was he?” The younger Saiyan was writhing in curiosity and jealousy.

“Well… He was big… And vigorous…” Vegeta couldn’t help himself as he broke out in laughter at the look of consternation on Goku’s face.

“But he wasn’t as big and vigorous as you…” The smirking prince finally took pity on his anguished mate, patting him reassuringly down there. “Besides, he’s not my mate. You are.” He emphasized with a grind against the other’s hips.

Goku visibly puffed up with pride, and he leaned forward, growling. “Yes, I *am*.” And he bit down possessively on Vegeta’s neck.

“Kakarotto!!” The ouji yelped at the initial pain, then rolled his head back, purring as the other Saiyan started lapping at the bloody bite. Vegeta wouldn’t have admitted it, but the aggressive and possessive side to the usually easy-going Saiyan really turned him on. Goku pulled back and regarded his mark on HIS prince with a smug look.

“Kakarotto… One day I will tell you more, but for now…” The ouji kissed his mate lightly on the lips then drew back. “I will dance for you.”

“Really? You will?” Goku was delighted and extremely curious. “Why?”

Vegeta stood up and walked over to the rack of music discs, his tail weaving sinuously. “Because I want to. Like I said, it’s not that I dislike dancing.” He quickly selected one and popped it in.

“Because you want me to.” The lithe prince turned around with a sexy smirk on his face, his deep voice trailing off to a husky purr as a jazzy, sultry beat filled the room.

Chapter 21: Devious Little Female

“We’re almost back on Coolant51… Just another hour.” Vegeta tapped his chin thoughtfully. “First thing to do once we get back is to change that planet’s blasted name.” The two Saiyans had just finished a shower after a hard workout and were currently lounging on their large bed.

They had grown much closer during their journey back. Goku told Vegeta details about his capture, and he found it helped a great deal. Goku had also asked Vegeta and Zarbon not to tell the others of his ordeal, a request that the two understood perfectly. The tall Saiyan would tell when he was ready, in his own time. Their mental link had also deepened as Vegeta started to open up to his mate about his checkered past.

A beep from the scouter on the bedside table alerted them. The two mates got up and padded softly over to the wardrobe to get dressed. Vegeta selected a laced long-sleeved cream shirt and a pair of leather trousers. Goku did not pick out his usual orange and blue gi but chose a green button-down shirt and jeans instead.

Vegeta noticed Goku’s brief look of pain as he slipped on his armband and rubbed the taller Saiyan’s hand lovingly, knowing that his missing armband was just another painful reminder of his capture. “Don’t worry about that.”

The two grabbed their thick jackets and headed out towards the control room, where Zarbon was already waiting, having already changed into warmer clothing. The three stood silently as they watched the image of the icy-blue and white planet loom larger on the screen, each lost in their own thoughts.

Everyone was out to greet them when they landed. The Saiyans had prepared a welcome-back party, in other words, they prepared a lot of food, and they quickly adjourned to a large hall.

“Trunks, have you noticed how our fathers seem too quiet?” Goten whispered to his mate. The two mentioned Saiyans were sitting in the corner, watching the festivities silently. Vegeta’s arm was looped around Goku’s waist almost protectively, and the younger Saiyan was leaning against the smaller figure. The two demi-Saiyans were probably the only ones in the room to notice the differences in their fathers’ behavior.

“Yeah, especially Goku.” Trunks raised an eyebrow. “He seemed…changed somehow. I mean, you know my dad’s never been the life of the party in the first place, but Goku usually has no problem mingling with the others.”

Goten reached over for another piece of meat. There wasn’t much in way of wildlife on the cold planet and even less vegetation. Most of the food the rebels consumed had to be flown in. “Maybe because he doesn’t know the fighters here as well?”

The gathering was much more subdued than the boisterous affairs of the Z sensei parties back on Earth. The rebels were a more reserved group; many having led harsh lives. Yet the general mood and morale had improved much over the past few weeks, largely buoyed by their success in not only capturing the outpost planet but also in successfully defending it. All respected the four Super Saiyans tremendously for the crucial roles they played in the fights and were genuinely glad that Goku was rescued. When Zarbon related how Vegeta had killed Coolant and then blown up the ice-jin home base, a ragged cheer broke out.

“Maybe they’re just tired from their journey.” Trunks shrugged. “They didn’t say much on the actual rescue mission itself other than the fact that dad killed Coolant. Curious… I guess something must have happened, and they just did not want to talk about it.”

“Don’t pester them then, especially ‘tousan.” Goten warned the lavender-haired prince.

Trunks looked hurt. “Am I so tactless?”

“Sometimes…” Goten snickered at his mate’s indignant expression. “Hey, look! Momo’s walking over to Vegeta with this determined expression on her face. Let’s go see what she has up her sleeve.”

The two demi-Saiyans have grown to like the pretty and feisty scout leader, who had demonstrated a wicked sense of humor time and time again. Grinning, they made their way across the room.

When they got there, she was currently complimenting an uncomfortable ouji on his bravery in rescuing his mate. On his part, Vegeta had just remembered the ‘minor’ unresolved problem with the stubborn Saiyan female. Fortunately or otherwise, she had another purpose for seeking him out this time round.

“You are very brave ouji-sama,” Momo looked up at the approaching demi-Saiyans with a twinkle in her eyes. “Many of the other fighters here can be wusses; Trunks and Goten can attest to that, but I’m sure nothing fazes the Saiyan no Ouji.”

“Err… Yes…” Vegeta had the uneasy feeling that he was being boxed in somehow.

“So I’m sure you have no problem with trying the fusion dance with me?” She batted her long eyelashes winningly.

“NANI?! ILE!!” Vegeta blew up.

“Why??” Momo taunted. “Scared?”

“Yes! I mean no!” He crossed his arms. How does she keep triggering my buttons??

“I refuse to do it, onna!”

“C’mon, why not?” She purred. He’s cute when he’s flustered!

Vegeta growled. “No.” And he stood up and walked away.

“Darn!” Momo snapped her fingers in exasperation. “Goku, I don’t suppose you are willing to try it with me?”

“Leave me out of this.” The tall Saiyan shook his head nervously as he walked off after Vegeta. Trunks and Goten burst out laughing.

-----

/Kakarotto… KAKAROTTO!! Wake up!!/

With a loud gasp, Goku’s eyes snapped open. He was safe… He was in his own bed…with his mate. He sat up abruptly, his hands fisted in his spiky hair. Beside him, Vegeta was seated upright and watching him worriedly. The tall Saiyan was covered in cold sweat.

“Another nightmare?” Vegeta asked quietly.

Goku only nodded, his heart still racing from the vivid dream.

“You’ve not had a nightmare for almost two weeks now… What brought it on?” The prince reached out to hold Goku’s hands. K’so! They’re so cold!

“I’m not sure…” Goku shook his head, mumbling in confusion and shivering. “So cold…”

Vegeta frowned in concentration. His heavier mate never had a problem with cold weather before. “Was it cold in Coolant’s base?”

“Yeah…” Goku shivered again. “And with the ki collar, I couldn’t raise my ki to keep myself warm.”

Of course! Vegeta hissed in understanding. “The cold climate on this planet triggered back the memories! But you can control your ki now.”

A faint yellow aura surrounded them as Goku raised his ki, warming the two naked Saiyans. Slowly, his trembling lessened and finally stopped. However, his eyes still had a slightly haunted look.

“Sleep, koi.” Vegeta drew his mate back down on their bed, his muscular arms wrapping around the younger Saiyan’s waist. “I’ll be here.”

-----

A meeting was held the next day. The rebel leaders; Gion, Zarbon and Momo were present, as well as the four Super Saiyans. As the sector of space under Coolant was now in chaos after Vegeta killed the ice-jin, the rebels were in an advantageous position. Quickly, they made brief plans, which included seeking out the refugees or survivors. Trade deals with other inhabited planets were also drafted. Ideas on generating income for the new (mainly) Saiyan empire bounced around included protection for merchant ships on trade routes.

A lively discussion also broke out on what to rename Coolant51. Suggestions ranged from the maudlin to the ridiculous; Vegeta was appalled when they suggested that they name the planet after him. “Nani?? Vegeta1 is a ludicrous name!”

“But Vegetasei…”

“The royal family is named *after* the planet. It wasn’t my idea.” Vegeta glared at Gion. “Choose another name.”

Everyone agreed that the name had to reflect meaningfully as it was the turning point in their war. Finally they settled on Freedom, though Vegeta thought it was too sappy, but, as was the case with Hope the ship, he was outvoted. (A/N: I think it’s too mushy too but YOU come up with a name, huh?!)

As the meeting drew to a close, Vegeta spoke up. “I know we are all quite tired now, but I would like to bring up a point for you all to consider. This planet is but an outpost. I propose to relocate the Saiyan race, and any other rebel that wishes to live with us, to a planet we’ve found on our journey here from Earth, one we have named New Vegetasei. We will leave a skeleton crew here, one which we will rotate every few months, when the others move.”

An excited discussion broke out, and Vegeta held up a hand to stall the rapid questioning, frowning. “Enough! We’ll discuss the details at a later date.”

As the fighters stood up to leave the room, Vegeta and Goku hung back until the others had left. Vegeta looped his tail around the other’s waist discreetly as Goku’s tail came down at the same time to brush his mate’s thigh, before wrapping around it.

/What do you think?/ Vegeta had been quite worried for his mate; the frigid environment on this outpost had been triggering bad memories, and Goku seemed to have become a bit more withdrawn since they had landed. Of course, he had plans to relocate to NV all along, but now he wanted to speed things up.

Goku smiled warmly at the prince. /I can’t wait./

-----

Goku sighed as he walked back to their bedroom. He had planned to go sparring with Goten or Trunks since Vegeta had monitor duty that night, but he could not find the demi-Saiyans anywhere.

As he opened the door, he was surprised to catch a whiff of roses and looked up in surprise. A table was laid out in the middle of the bedroom, and their bed was pushed into a corner. Candles lit up around the room caught on the matching black silk sheets that adorned both the bed and table. Romantic music played in the background. A lushly furred russet tail snaked around his waist.

“Happy Anniversary, koi.” Vegeta stepped around to face the startled Saiyan, a small smile playing on his lips.

The Saiyan no ouji was dressed in a black satin long-sleeved shirt and tight leather pants. The lacings to the shirt hung loose, revealing hints of defined pectorals as the dark prince held up a small bouquet of rosebuds.

Goku gasped. “How?”

“Some rose seeds plus that miracle growing gel that Capsule Corp developed a while back.” Vegeta smirked. “The roses are a bit small and not fully matured though…”

“I love them!” Goku accepted the rosebuds in delight. He had forgotten all about their anniversary. Usually, the younger Saiyan was the one who remembered their anniversary and also the one to set up some sort of celebration to commemorate the first time they mated. He leaned forward and enveloped his prince in a hug as their lips met in a deep kiss.

Vegeta was the first to reluctantly pull away. “I’ve got some things for you…” He led the other Saiyan to the table, where a light supper lay prepared.

Goku seated himself and placed the bouquet carefully on the table beside the covered dishes before he took off his jacket. “I thought you were on duty tonight?”

“I’ve managed to get somebody to relieve me.” Vegeta smirked again.

-----

Momo smirked evilly as she made her way to the monitor room. By now, Vegeta should have eaten the berry-spiked cookies she left on the table inside; no Saiyan could resist snacks lying around. A small pang of guilt also known as her conscience nagged in the corner of her devious mind, but she pushed the irritating little angel that sat on her shoulder off. She wouldn’t have survived so long if she hadn’t been so unscrupulous. The fact that she was a relatively weak fighter meant that she had to rely on her wits and cunning more than ever. But she wasn’t totally without scruples. If Vegeta got into trouble with his mate, she would claim all responsibility.

Her eyes glazed over as she recalled the outfit the Saiyan no ouji was wearing when he hurried past her earlier that evening. Kami! He looked soooo delicious in that hot, tight leather pants and soooo romantic in that ebony satin-laced shirt. She had almost swooned in the corridor!

She gave a wicked chuckle as she slowed down near the monitor room, smoothing down her outfit. The pretty Saiyan female was dressed for seduction tonight. A tight sleeveless silk dress with a high halter-neck collar hugged her curves, the hem of the tight skirt skimming matching scarlet sandals. The midnight black lower half of the dress bled into the crimson top seamlessly. A slit that ran all the way up her right leg, almost to her hip allowed mobility in the otherwise restrictive outfit, and thin bangles of silver adorned her bare arms. Her wavy black hair was caught up in a bun and soft tendrils trailed alluring down her neck.

The first thing she saw when she entered the room was the plate of crumbs on the table. A smirk lifted her lips as she closed the door quietly and made her way to the figure seated in front of the monitors. The high chair swiveled around as the figure in the seat registered her presence and Momo’s mouth fell open in shock.

Before she could react, he lunged at her and pinned her to the wall, crushing his lips against hers in a bruising kiss, growling lowly in his chest.


Chapter 22: Guess some people are getting some action tonight…

Momo gave a hard shove, pushing the male off as she scrambled away hastily.

“Zarbon!” What’s he doing here? Where’s Vegeta?

The blue-skinned fighter gave another low growl, smirking as he raked appreciative eyes down her curvy figure. “Momo… You look ravishing tonight…”

Zarbon had never felt so aroused before. He had agreed to take over Vegeta’s duty that night and was pleasantly surprised by the plate of cookies on the table. Vegeta didn’t seem the sort to come up with such thoughtful gestures, but he wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. He was starting to regret his altruistic action though, for some inexplicable reason, he started to feel really, really horny. And warm. He had already stripped off his jacket, but he still felt too hot in his thin silk shirt. He was considering relieving his predicament when Momo came in. One look at the pretty Saiyan female and suddenly, all rational thoughts and common sense seemed to fly out the window.

The smart Saiyan female recognized the look in his eyes. Lust. Pure, unadulterated lust. Oh shit.

“Zarbon?” She squeaked as she slowly backed towards the door.

The tall male lunged towards her again, and she gave up the pretense of nonchalance to hightail out of the situation.

Shit, shit, shit!!! Momo hiked her skirt up as she ran down the corridor. Her dress was a little too tight, and her sandals were too flimsy for running.

Zarbon loped behind her, enjoying the chase as his long legs effortlessly kept up, and enjoying the flashing view of her slim legs as she hitched up her skirt. Her rich brown tail had unwrapped from its usual position at her waist and was now streaming behind her, almost taunting him to grab it.

-----

“That was nice of Zarbon, offering to help you like that.” Goku remarked, sipping from his glass of wine as his other hand caressed Vegeta’s fingers across the table.

“Yeah, poor guy – stuck doing boring monitor duty.” Vegeta lifted his mate’s hand to his lips and started sucking one finger, then two, seductively.

-----

Startled rebels in the corridor blinked as they were almost barreled over by the two, and then grinned naughtily when they recalled her sexy dress and his wolfish smirk. Guess some people are getting some action tonight…

Momo ran blindly, weaving through the maze of corridors. Abruptly, she found herself in the snowy courtyard outside where the fighters often gathered to train. There was nobody outside at this time of the night, though. Too late, she realized her mistake. Spinning around, she saw Zarbon blocking the only entrance to the building with a confident smirk.

Around them, snowflakes started to fall as a light snowstorm picked up.

Momo snarled and dropped into a defensive crouch, even though she knew that she didn’t really have a chance against him. Zarbon was a better fighter, and she wasn’t dressed for fighting. She shivered, both in cold and nervous anticipation, though surprisingly, she wasn’t afraid.

Running accessing eyes down the tall fighter’s figure, she found herself getting excited. Zarbon was a very handsome male, tall and muscular. With his blue skin, sea-green hair and slightly slanted eyes, he looked very exotic indeed. She licked her lips unconsciously. Yes, very exotic and different from the Saiyan males. His dark emerald shirt stretched across his broad shoulders and chest, and was loosely tucked into tight black leather pants that hugged his narrow hips and muscular thighs like a second skin. The top few buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing a chiseled chest. Pale moonlight caught on the orb that hung on his forehead. Zarbon had always been very vain, and the tall Readan had impeccable taste.

But the feisty Saiyan female wasn’t going down without a fight. Her snarl became a wicked smirk, and her furry tail lashed rhythmically.

Zarbon grinned when he saw the change in her expression. He flicked his braid, a nervous habit of his, and advanced predatorily towards her. Abruptly, he made the first move, and the two exploded into a flurry of blows. Momo had improved much over the past few weeks and fought desperately, but Zarbon was rapidly gaining the upper hand. He dropped into a crouch, his leg lashing out into a low sweep, and she landed heavily on her side.

Immediately, he fell upon her, and the two rolled and grappled around in the snow. Being much heavier and bigger, Zarbon had no problem pinning her in a tight hold. The two paused, breath steaming in the frigid air, as they stared silently at each other and pondered their next move.

Zarbon smirked down at her, his hands holding her wrists immobile above her head easily. He could feel her erect nipples through their thin clothing, and he ground his hips against hers, smirking even harder as onyx eyes widened. Slowly, he brought his head down for a kiss.

-----

Goku drained his glass and stood up. With a low growl, he pulled the slim prince towards him and captured his lips in a hard kiss. His arms slid around the ouji’s waist, one hand moving down to cup his firm ass while the other found its way to the base of a furry auburn tail.

Vegeta gave a dulcet moan around their kiss as strong fingers ruffled his tail, his knees going weak. He shifted and pressed closer to the taller Saiyan, molding their bodies together.

-----

When Zarbon released her wrists, their lips still locked, Momo made no more attempts at resistance but instead wrapped her arms around him tightly. The snowstorm was picking up, but they paid it no heed, intent only on each other. He gave a half-groan, half-growl as the Saiyan female below him continued to writhe and squirm, creating delicious friction.

Reluctantly, he pulled away and stood up, before scooping the petite female easily in his arms. Momo purred seductively, wrapping her arms securely around his neck, and nuzzled closer to his muscular chest as he started towards the buildings. He strode quickly through the corridors towards his room, ignoring the catcalls and knowing looks, his attention wholly on the enticing female in his arms.

-----

Two furry bodies grappled and romped playfully on the bed in a tangle of limbs and tails, crimson and pink fur in stark contrast to the silky ebony sheets. Loud growls and throaty purrs rent the air. The musky perfume of sex, tinged sweetly with aromatic wine, hung heavily in the room.

A hand came down to fist tightly at the base of her tail, throwing her over the edge. Her back arched up as she screamed, convulsing hard. br>
-----

Two figures woke up simultaneously in a warm tangle of limbs and sheets. Grunting, Vegeta managed to disengage himself and sat up, regarding the scorched sheets and warped bed with wry amusement.

“Yet another set of bed linen AND bed ruined…”

Goku raised himself on his elbows to look at his lover with a mirthful smile. “But it’s more fun, ne?” His tail thumped the mattress loudly. “I’ll have to agree with that.” Vegeta gave a smirk as he stretched languidly, his auburn tail fluffing. He gave a delicious shudder as his joints and back popped loudly. “There’s something very sensual in making out while SS4… Maybe it’s all the fur.”

“At least the power at level 4 is more controllable.” Goku pointed out.

“Yeah, the last time we did it while at level 3, we actually broke the bed.”

“I almost forgot.” The ouji reached over for a small velvet pouch that lay on the bedside table. “This is for you.”

Goku withdrew the armband that lay within the pouch with wide eyes. “How…?”

“I brought samples of the alloy.” A casual shrug. “A bit of ki and effort…” In actual fact, he had spent quite a lot of time and effort in casting the armband, but Vegeta felt it had been all worth it when he saw the delighted expression on his mate’s countenance.

----->

Momo was the first to awake, a satisfied smile on her face as she recalled the activities of the night before. There was a dull ache between her legs, and she felt like she pulled a muscle somewhere deep inside her abdomen, probably from all the multiple orgasms, but she felt an overall warm, sated buzz. A hard, obviously male body spooned her from behind, and a muscular blue arm was thrown casually over her hips. His breathing was deep and even, the warm breath tickling the fine hairs on the back of her neck.

However, her good mood dropped quickly as guilt took over. Zarbon would probably be quite pissed when he woke up; she was sure that he normally would have NOT gone to bed with her. Suddenly, the arm tightened around her waist, pulling her closer to his body. A nose came down to nuzzle her hair sensually.

“Mmm… Morning…”

She turned over slowly, unsure of how to react. “Um…”

“So was it good for you?” Zarbon smiled warmly at her.

Momo returned a small smile, glad that he seemed to be in a good mood. “Yeah.” She gave a rich chuckle. “In fact, it was more than just good; it was mind-blowing.”

“Really?” She could almost see him puff up with pride.

“Yes, really.” The petite female stretched languorously, her long lashes fluttering shut. “Kami! Where did you learn to do those things with my tail?”

“Ah… Maybe one day I’ll tell you.” Zarbon grinned wickedly. “Though I would say that Saiyans make great lovers… Very tactile and sensuous and sensitive, especially your tails.” His hand reached down to ruffle her tail as he spoke, and a tremor ran through her body.

“Aaahh… Stop that!” She batted his hand away as he smirked. “I’ve got a confession to make…”

Zarbon listened quietly as she told him about the berry cookies, and then to her surprise, threw back his head with a loud laugh.

“You’re not angry?”

“No… Not really. Why should I be? I had a great time…” He leaned in to kiss the sensitive skin on her collarbones. “Although, I think you should give up on Vegeta…”

Momo moaned, her head falling back as his head moved further down. “I already have.”

“Why don’t you just go out with any one of the other Saiyan males, if you want a kid?” Zarbon raised his head to look at her curiously.

“I don’t know…” She shrugged. “For some reason, nobody caught my attention.”

“I admit I do have a crush on him…” Momo gave a defeated sigh. “I was blinding and bluffing myself. In a very weird way, it’s like if I can’t have him, then his baby would suffice…”

“Nobody?” Zarbon gave her a skeptical look. “Then what was so special about Vegeta?”

The Saiyan female considered the question seriously. “Actually, I think it’s mainly because he’s so exotic. He’s…different from the Saiyan males I usually meet. He has this confident aura around him. Of course, he also has a fantastic body and the tightest ass on this base…”

Momo looked at him as he rolled over and laughed uproariously at that comment, a sudden realization dawning on her. As he calmed down, she whispered softly. “But there is someone else as exotic and confident…”

“Who?” She blushed in mortification when she realized that he heard her, and turned her head away in embarrassment.

A blue-skinned hand came up to cradle her jaw gently. “Who?”

She looked up at his golden eyes, her blush deepening. Dammit! What an ironical turn of events! Maybe this was Kami’s joke on her for her thoughtless scheme. They stayed that way, frozen and caught in each other’s gazes.

“Is it I?” Zarbon finally asked daringly, hopefully.

Momo only nodded shyly and averted her eyes again. To her delighted shock, he leaned forward to brush her lips in a gentle kiss.

“Shall we give it a try?” He breathed huskily.

Zarbon gazed at the feisty female, more than a little amazed at the turn in events. He had long given up hope that he would find a life partner, like the Saiyans, the Readan race was severely decimated. He had worked alongside this Saiyan female for years, yet he had never really noticed her. Now after last night, he realized that she was smart, witty, pretty, devious… And utterly captivating and sexy.

I hope you like the way I’ve ended this fic… I quite like Momo – she is cute, in a way, if a little misguided; I mean, you’ve got to admire a sassy female that goes for what she wants – and I wanted a happy ending. I was trying hard not to turn her into a Mary Sue. ^^;

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