When Oujo Met Ouji

Chapter 18

A few days later, after Kakarrot’s daily checkup, Bulma proclaimed him fully cured. The tall Saiyan paled a little at the good news, for it meant he would have no excuse to stay around the CC any longer.

“And I was thinking, we could also have a party to celebrate your recovery! Vejita had told me it was time they went back home, so this could also be farewell party for them.” Bulma beamed happily, oblivious to the fact that her normally chirpy best friend was more than a little subdued at the ‘good news’. “We have not had a gathering of the Z-sensei for some time; we can celebrate your recovery.”

“I wonder how they will react to Kakarotto and Vejita… Especially Vejita.” She gave a mischievous laugh. “Maybe I had better prepare some senzu beans for Roshi and Oolong.”

“Haha…” Kakarrot gave a weak chuckle, his mind still preoccupied.

Bulma carried on happily, her mind filled with details for the upcoming party. “Oh, I had better order a lot more food; with five more Saiyans, especially since one of them is essentially you, Goku…”

The worried Saiyan had tuned out her ramblings at this point as he fretted. Chi Chi would definitely insist that he move back, but he couldn’t go back to her now. How would Bulma, his best friend react? How would Chi Chi and their sons react? He blanched at the thought of confronting his wife and worried especially about his sons’ reactions.

-----

Vegeta smirked when he woke up. It was the day of that ridiculous gathering. Normally, he would be in a foul mood and would have tried all means to avoid attending such a juvenile activity, but this party would be different. They had decided to come open with their relationship during the party. Then they could finally move out together. He purred as he turned to nuzzle his mate, who was still asleep. Mine! All Mine! His tail thumped the mattress excitedly.

-----

Vejita scowled when she woke up. It was the day of that stupid party. She was not even out of bed yet, and she was already in a foul mood. She had tried all means to avoid attending such an infantile event, but her own mate had conspired with that blue-haired Ningen! Saying how he would luurrve to see the Z fighters here, how they were leaving after the party anyway. Oh, and wouldn’t the chibis enjoy themselves, and then he turned those large liquid puppy-dog eyes at her.

Dammit.

She growled as she turned to glare balefully at her mate, who was blissfully still asleep, her tail lashing dangerously behind her.

-----

She was still in a black mood when she walked into the kitchen, which was empty except for a smug-looking Saiyan no ouji. “Where’s your baka mate?”

“Still asleep.” He smirked-purred. Actually, he had woken Kakarrot up earlier, and then exhausted him again. “Looks like someone didn’t get any last night…”

Vejita growled as she sat down. Actually, she did. That was how she was tricked into attending this stupid party. “Oh. Shut. Up.”

-----

Vegeta was in a very good mood as he exited the steaming bathroom, sporting only a ‘cat-who-caught-a-canary’ smirk. Padding softly over to his wardrobe, he selected a pair of supple leather slacks and a deep purple shirt. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a nervously twitching brown tail. As he pulled on his clothes, he turned to face the tall Saiyan who was sprawled out on his bed.

Kakarrot had already changed into a pair of indigo jeans and an orange plaid shirt. As always, his mate’s color sense was …impeccable. Not. Vegeta snorted. Still, bright colors somehow did look good on the cheerful Saiyan. He gave a metal laugh. Heck, Kakarrot would probably even look good in those awful yellow pants and pink shirt that onna gave him when he first came to Earth. At first glance, he appeared calm, even relaxed, but his Saiyan emotion barometer gave him away as it flicked agitatedly.

“Are you still thinking about how those Ningens would react?” Vegeta snorted.

“Well, yeah…” The younger Saiyan admitted softly.

“Hmph. What do you care what others think?” The ouji rolled his eyes.

“I do care, especially the opinions of people who matter to me.” Kakarrot sat up. “Especially Gohan…”

“Your Ningen friends and family are not living your life; why should you let their opinions dictate your decisions and especially your happiness?” Vegeta growled.

Kakarrot sighed heavily. “You’re right, I guess.” He stood up and pulled his surly mate in for a brief kiss. “Come on, let’s go.”

-----

Vejita pawed through the closet-full of clothes Bulma supplied her with. Kakarotto eyed his mate thoughtfully. Yep. Pawed was correct. With her nose stuck in the closet, her pert rump sticking out as she bent at the waist, her long auburn tail waving and her little cute noises of irritation, she resembled a very kawaii, if bad-tempered, cat. A pussy dressed only in a very low-cut thong. (Hey, that’s the only kind that fits her tail.) He gave a hentai grin as he lay back on their bed, thoroughly enjoying the eyeful he was getting.

The said princess pushed another mini-skirt out of the way. What was it with Ningen women and clothing that restricted movement? With all the adventures that blue-haired onna had been on, one would have thought that she would pick more practical clothing. Vejita had nothing against clothing that flattered her (*snickers* spandex??) but… Aha! She pulled out a pair of stretchy black suede trousers. She ripped a small slit in the back for her tail and pulled on the pants. Turning her attention back to the closet, she quickly found a sparkly spaghetti-strap top in purple.

“You look really hot, ‘Jita.” He admired his mate as she pulled on her boots.

Vejita slanted a look at her brawny mate. A silk rusty orange shirt opened at the neck to flaunt his corded neck muscles, long sleeves rolled up to reveal defined forearms and neatly tucked into tight blue jeans that hugged his narrow hips and bulging thighs…

“So do you…” She purred loudly, giving him a smoldering look and sidled closer, her fingers trailing seductively up his chest.

“Uh uh…” Kakarotto grinned and shook his head, catching her small hands. “We’re still attending the party. Come on, we’re going to be late, and we still have to dress the chibis.”

He gripped her hand and dragged a pouting oujo out. Darn.

-----

When Vejita and Kakarotto came downstairs, their sons in tow, most of the guests had already arrived. Conversation immediately halted as the Z sensei goggled at the Saiyan family, and especially at the oujo, who immediately scowled darkly. Roshi and Oolong, in particular, were positively drooling and edging surreptitiously closer until a murderous glare from the oujo halted them.

Soon, the two Earth-raised Saiyans were merrily chatting with rest of the Earth defenders, Kakarotto integrating smoothly into the group as if he had known them all his life. In a way, he had.

Vejita cornered Vegeta and was quizzing him about the fusion technique. The twins hung around her, munching messily on the finger snacks. Radin did not want to move too far away from his ‘kasaan, and Koch was feeling shy amidst all the strangers. The adolescent demi-Saiyans were sequestered in one corner, playing a board game. Piccolo sat stiffly in a corner, still not entirely comfortable with the more gregarious humans.

“Hey! Gohan and Chi Chi are here!” Bulma called out from the foyer. Kakarrot stiffened momentarily before turning around with a forced smile.

“Hey, Gohan! Is that your girlfriend?” Krillin called out cheekily.

Gohan was walking in hand in hand with a pretty girl of his age, with short dark hair. He blushed a little but nodded gamely. “Yes, this is Videl.” Immediately, the older fighters moved over, teasing him about his girlfriend.

Kakarotto and Vejita eyed the girl with interest, but for a different reason.

/She moves like a fighter./

/She’s still an Earthling./

/’Jita, it’s not as if Gohan will have much choice…/

/I agree. Hn./ A sniff. /Barely acceptable. Looks like the brat may choose a suitable mate after all./

The tall Saiyan walked over to his son, clapping a hand down on the startled adolescent’s shoulder heartily. “What do you think of Videl, Gohan?”

Gohan glanced over at the couple briefly before returning his attention to the game. “Ok, I guess.”

Trunks sing-songed wickedly. “Gohan and Videl sitting in a tree…”

Goten looked surprised for a moment, before understanding dawned, and he burst out in loud peals of laughter. Gohan took a few seconds longer before he suddenly flushed crimson. “Ick! No way!”

“What?” Mirai Trunks came over, his curiosity sparked.

‘Oh, nothing much…” Trunks snickered. “Just that we now know who *his* future girlfriend will be…”

“She’s not my girlfriend!” Gohan protested loudly.

“Not yet.” Vejita sauntered over, the twins following closely behind.

“Not yet what, ‘kasaan?” Koch looked puzzled.

“Nothing!” Gohan yelled, shaking his head frantically at his adopted parent.

“Videl isn’t niichan’s girlfriend yet.” Vejita explained to her puzzled sons, an evil smirk dancing on her face.

“Ohh…” Koch’s mouth was opened in a cute ‘O’.

Radin looked over at the teenage couple, perplexed. “But, she is so much …bigger than him. And why is she holding the other Gohan’s hand instead?”

“Oh, that Videl is this timeline’s Gohan’s girlfriend. But niichan will have a Videl for him back at home.”

“NOOO!! I don’t even like girls!” The poor boy was totally mortified as the adults snickered.

Kakarotto gave his son a sly nudge. “That’s what you say now, but trust me…”

“But girls are weak crybabies! Why do I need a girlfriend? They’re not good for anything! And icky and slimy and sissy and…” Gohan quailed under his stepmother’s death glare and sank back in his seat in abject fear.

“Not all girls are weak… Your ‘kasaan can *whip* my butt anytime…” Kakarotto’s voice trailed off as he gave his mate a sizzling look. “And they are most definitely not icky…”

Gohan and Goten gave identical looks of disbelief as Trunks simultaneously nodded his head vigorously. Both boys turned to look at the lavender-haired prince in betrayal.

“Nani?” Trunks crossed his arms defensively. “Just because I don’t think girls are icky doesn’t mean I like them.”

“Sure, you don’t.” Mirai Trunks snickered as his chibi counterpart shot him a slightly panicked look. “Oh, nothing… Just remembering when I was that age…” The time-traveling teen widened his eyes innocently at the questioning looks.

“Hey, what’s all the laughter about?” The teenage Gohan suddenly joined the conversation.

Gohan shot his older counterpart an accusing look, and after a quick glance at Videl, who was standing beside her beau, flushed and couldn’t look her in the eye again.

“Nani?” The tall teen looked puzzled as the adults continued to laugh, and a little hurt at the glare from his younger self. “C’mon Videl, let’s grab a bite.”

As the teenage couple moved away, he whispered to his girlfriend. “Did you see the way chibi Gohan turned red when he saw you? I think he’s just like me…” A loud smooch.

Unfortunately for chibi Gohan, sensitive Saiyan ears picked up the whispered comment. And even more unfortunately for chibi Gohan, everyone standing around him was Saiyan. Raucous laughter and catcalls rang out.

Finally, after teasing Gohan and Trunks a little bit more, the adults decided to give the flushing boys a break. Kakarotto and Vejita picked up their twins and headed towards the buffet spread, still snickering away.

As the party wore on, and the mood became mellower, especially after the guests had their fill of the scrumptious food, someone changed the music. The songs became slower. Kakarotto nudged his mate. “Wanna dance?”

Vejita shot him an incredulous look. “Nani??” They were firmly ensconced on the plush couch, and she was comfortably snuggled against his chest, feet drawn up against her chest.

“Why not?” He grinned at her, remembering their first date. “I know you can dance… Puleeaze?”

“Not in front of all these bakas!”

“But I wanna show off my beautiful mate… My sexy mate…” He nuzzled against her, purring loudly.

“But the twins…” She protested weakly, glancing over at the snoozing chibis.

“Are asleep.” He gave her a loud kiss. “Besides, what do you care what the others think? I know you like to dance…”

The tall Saiyan pulled his reluctant mate off the couch and led her onto the living room floor, which was cleared for dancing. The two swayed gently to the slow beat, arms clasped around each other, their bodies practically molded to each other. Vegeta watched from the armchair he was lazily lounging on, utterly bored. His mate was preoccupied with stuffing his face and avoiding not only his soon-to-be ex-wife and sons, but Vegeta as well.

/Kakarrot…/

/Yes, koi?/ He looked up from his plate and caught his mate’s sizzling stare from across the room.

/Kaka..rrrot…/ The ouji’s inky eyes were smoldering, his tone dark and sultry.

Kakarrot gave a small gulp.

Without explaining further, Vegeta stood up and turned to leave the room. His dark russet tail uncoiled from his waist and swayed sinuously behind him, beckoning his mate. Glancing around nervously, the younger Saiyan realized that everyone else was preoccupied; including Chi Chi. He quickly wiped his mouth and slipped out after his mate.

The dancing couple had stopped moving and were engaged in a heated lip lock in the middle of the living room, their tails coiling and rubbing sensuously together. His hands came down to cup her pert ass, causing her to arch up, moaning softly, against him.

“Yeah baby, grab those cheeks! Harder!” Roshi was practically drooling, his eyes bugging out. One of his hands was holding a red-stained handkerchief to his nose, while the other was making obscene gestures. “Woo! What an ass!”

Vejita broke the kiss and turned around with an angered expression, ready to blast the leering pervert. To everyone’s surprise, Kakarotto was slightly faster and shot a small warning blast at the turtle hermit, and in the ensuing confusion, the smirking couple transmitted out.

“Young ‘uns these day have no respect for their elders…” Roshi looked up mournfully from his defensive crouch on the floor, shaking his head. The ki ball was not powerful, just enough to singe his bright Hawaiian print shirt. “I practically raised that boy from childhood…”

“What a slut. She has thoroughly corrupted Goku.” Chi Chi clicked her tongue disapprovingly, while Bulma, who was seated beside her, raised her hand to her mouth as she snickered. Privately, the blue-haired inventor thought that the old pervert got exactly what he deserved.

“Anyway, I think it’s time Goku and I get going…” Chi Chi looked around the room. “Where is Goku anyway?”

A search of the common living areas revealed no traces of the tall Saiyan. “Gohan! Locate your father’s ki!” Chi Chi crossed her arms angrily. “When I get my hands on that irresponsible baka…”

Gohan’s brows drew together in surprise. “That’s strange… Dad’s with Vegeta…”

“Oooo…” The amazon fumed angrily, her hand reaching unconsciously for her frying pan. “That ..that man! He has barely recovered, and he’s already sparring! It must be that Vegeta’s fault!”

Gohan frowned slightly. Somehow, based on the ki’s, the two didn’t appear to be sparring. “They’re upstairs…”

Curious, the entire Z-sensei group followed Chi Chi and her son as they headed upstairs and along a hallway. The stairs to the third level were at the end of the hallway, and as they rounded the corner, everyone gasped loudly in surprise. In the alcove under the stairs, the two males were kissing passionately in a posture eerily reminiscent of what the group hadwitnessed minutes ago on the dance floor.

“GOKU!”

“DAD!”

Kakarrot’s eyes snapped open in shock, and he jumped back. “Uh, Chi Chi? Gohan?” Vegeta turned around slowly, a small smirk dancing on his lips as he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall almost smugly.

“Vegeta..?” Bulma’s voice faltered. The distant look her ex-lover gave her told her everything. It was truly over. Strangely, she felt relieved. Relieved that she no longer had to sneak around… And happy for the man she once loved. She nodded in understanding.

Vegeta started in surprise at her calm acceptance, and his cold look thawed slightly. A curt nod closed that chapter of his life before he turned his attention back to his mate.

“Goku! What were you doing?!”

The tall Saiyan steeled himself, crossing his arms defensively. “Exactly what it looked like what I was doing, Chi Chi. I’m kissing my mate.”

“YOUR MATE??” Everyone winced at her cutting screech, even the non-Saiyans.

“What do you mean by that? Is that some male buddy term?” Gohan looked shocked, and he tried hard desperately to believe that he hadn’t seed what he had just seen. “Tell me it isn’t so, Dad…”

When Goku flinched under his son’s questioning, Vegeta rolled his eyes impatiently and stepped forward to wrap his tail around his mate’s waist in a visible gesture of possession. “It is so, brat.”

“How could you break up our family like that?” Chi Chi raged. “Do you care nothing for me? For your sons?”

“Our relationship had been over for a long time already, Chi Chi, and you know it. I still care for you, just not as I would care for my wife, and nothing has changed in my feelings towards our sons.”

“But homosexuality is wrong! How could you love another male, Dad? And with Vegeta of all people?!” Gohan scowled angrily, unconsciously powering up. There was no love lost between him and the ouji.

Surprisingly, a young voice piped up angrily before Kakarrot could reply. “There’s nothing wrong with Vegeta-san!” Everyone turned to stare at Goten, who had been standing silently behind the group of adults. They had forgotten all about the adolescent boys.

“You don’t know anything about him, Goten!” Gohan said harshly. “You don’t know what he was like when he first came to Earth. Did you know that he wanted to kill us all?”

“How dare you say that about my father!” Trunks yelled furiously, his hair flashing golden.

“No, you don’t know what he is like now, niichan! You never come down to the CC.” Goten set his jaw stubbornly. “I like Vegeta-san.”

“Goten!” Chi Chi stepped forward to deliver a stinging slap to her youngest son. “Bite your tongue!” She turned to glare at the ouji. “He is a killer and now a family wreaker…AAHH!!”

“Radin!” Bulma admonished the unrepentant chibi, who crossed his arms with his nose up in the air. Chi Chi who lay crumpled on the floor, clutching her shin, moaning. “She deserved it.” The young ebon-haired prince stated with a sniff. Apparently, his protectiveness of his mother extended to her male counterpart as well. Vegeta almost burst out into laughter but bit his inner cheek when he felt the distress from his mate.

“Yamcha… I think Chi Chi needs to get her leg treated; it may be broken.” Bulma stated tersely after a brief examination. Nodding, Yamcha quickly scooped up the groaning woman and followed her.

The atmosphere was charged and tense after the three departed. Gohan turned back to his father with a resigned look. “Why?”

“Huh?”

“Why Vegeta?” Gohan frowned. “I know you and kassan have not been close for some time now, but why a man? Why him?”

Kakarrot held his mate back with a simple but firm grip on his shoulder before the volatile prince could explode. Biting back a snarl, Vegeta forced himself to take a few deep breaths and allow the younger Saiyan to handle the situation. It was his son after all.

“He understands me as a fighter and a Saiyan. And he respects me as an equal. Chi Chi never did.” Kakarrot gave a lopsided smile, his eyes getting soft. “He’s intense and passionate, smart and witty, has a killer body….”

His sentence was cut off abruptly when the forgotten auburn tail around his waist tightened, and he doubled up gasping. “Baka!” The reddening prince hissed at him. “I do not need you to explain me to your son like that…”

“Ge..ta..” The tall Saiyan tugged desperately at the tail, and his mate released it with an annoyed huff. He took a couple of quick pants, bent with his hands on his knees, before he looked up with an almost innocent grin. “What? The killer body bit? But it’s true…mmmph!” The lashing russet tail snapped up to wrap around his head, effectively muffling him.

“Bakayaro!” Vegeta snarled, his face crimson as everyone gawked at the said body. “That wasn’t what I meant!”

“Gomen koi…” Kakarrot managed to pull the furry coil off, a slightly sheepish look on his face. “I was just teasing you…”

Gohan watched the easy interplay between his father and his chosen mate silently, an inscrutable look on his face. Suddenly, the past interactions he had witnessed between the two full-blooded Saiyans took on a different light; hostilities became more friendly banter, insults became teasing taunts, rivalry became competition. A thin slivery of realization dawned upon him. That although the two had engaged in some life and death battles with each other, they still met up to train with each other. That perhaps, he just did not know the extent of their relationship, that perhaps, he wasn’t in any position to comment or judge even. He had rarely seen his father in such a good mood for a long time. Gohan gave a very light, silent sight as his paradigms took a very slight but fundamental shift. He still could not approbate homosexuality, and he still could not claim to understand their relationship, but perhaps, just perhaps, he could accept his father’s choice. After all, he did love his father too.

“Dad…” The pair fell silent at the serious tone in the teenage demi-Saiyan’s voice. “I won’t claim that I accept Vegeta nor your sexuality… But I can begin to accept your decision, and that’s all I can offer now.”

“Arigato Gohan…” Kakarrot replied simply as he stepped forward to embrace his son.

-----

In contrast to the large gathering the day before, it was a small group that came out to send the Saiyan time-travelers off the next morning. Mirai Trunks was already seated in his time machine as he double-checked the coordinates and fiddled with the settings. Bulma and Yamcha stood to one side watching amusedly, having revealed their own relationship with relief as well.

The kids were chattering nonstop, excited, yet sad, exchanging promises to visit. Even Trunks acknowledged the Saiyan twins as he handed each chibi a small gift gruffly. “Not too bad at fighting, brats.”

The royals just regarded each other with a knowing smirk and raised brow. They had no need for frivolous farewells.

“Thanks for all your help.” Kakarrot wrapped his younger self in an enthusiastic bear hug. “Maybe you’ll visit again one day?

“Yeah, that’ll be great! I’ve had fun too.” An equally crushing squeeze in return. “Goodbye Kakarrot, don’t let Vegeta walk all over you.”

Vegeta eyed the impertinent Saiyan male darkly, his arms crossed. Sometimes, he found it difficult to accept that the brash young male was the same, though younger self of his mate. His lips tugged up in a smirk as an idea struck him. When the others had finally finished their vocal and lengthy farewells and the younger Saiyan couple started towards the time-machine, he stepped forward.

“Vejiiita…” The oujo turned around in surprise at the husky, sultry tone in the ouji’s deep voice. Vegeta threw his infamous smirk at Kakarotto before turning his attention back to his female counterpart.

“Sayonara Vejita.” The Saiyan no Ouji stated simply with innate royal dignity, and without warning, wrapped his arms around her slim waist and captured the oujo’s lips in a deep kiss, dipping her back sensually. Catching on quickly, the naughty oujo grinned and entwined her hands in the identical ebony flame, arching back trustingly and returning the kiss.

Kakarotto nearly exploded in rage as the two tangoed in an erotic lip-lock when a hand on his bicep stopped him. Turning, his anger fizzled abruptly at the mischievous look on his older self’s countenance, and the two grinned in understanding as the similar idea struck them both.

When the lithe couple finally came up for air, Kakarotto caught Vegeta’s eye with a wicked grin and dipped the ouji’s mate back in a similar kiss.

When Kakarotto looked up again, the ouji’s face was thunderous. With a wild laugh and blinding speed, Kakarotto bounded over and threw his mate over his shoulder, before picking up his kids as well under his arms and leaping into the time machine. “Quick! Start!”

Mirai Trunks took one panicked look at the ouji’s expression and hurriedly punched the start-off sequence.

“BAKAYARO!!!”

End

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A/N: *grins* Thanks to chibi_vegeta for providing the idea for the very last scene!

I felt that teenage Gohan's reaction was more plausible this way, rather than complete acceptance... The confrontation part was difficult to write. I was actually contemplating a physical scuffle but ...*shrugs*

Did anybody realize that the younger Saiyan couple actually have pretty different, distinct personalities from their older counterparts? (At least that was what I was trying to achieve.) Thought that it would be more suitable, given their differing histories.

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