A Round Robin (24 - 29)

by Kiarene, Felix & Goten

Chapter 24

(Kiarene decides to be sweet this time round...)

“Tell me where you’re at, Kakarot…” Vegeta pleaded, his voice frantic with worry. His hands were slicked with his mate’s lifeblood, which dripped constantly and was absorbed up immediately by the parched desert floor.

“..Riverbank...” At Vegeta’s blank look, Goku smiled wanly. “Where we first…”

Vegeta blushed again and nodded. “Wait for me… I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“Hai…” Goku closed his eyes with a soft whisper.

Vegeta carefully laid his injured mate down, smoothing the matted black hair back softly. Standing up, he slapped his own face hard.

Vegeta awoke with a start, his cheek stinging, and immediately bolted out of bed. Sparing just a couple of seconds to pick up the small bag of senzu beans lying on top of his dresser, he blasted out from his balcony, not even bothering to change. Though the night air that nipped through his thin silk sleepwear was bitingly cold, his raised ki kept him warm as he blasted through the air, leaving a golden trail and sonic backlash in his wake.

It seemed to take too long, but finally, Vegeta caught sight of the grassy riverbank. Landing on the damp grass, he looked around frantically, extending his senses and mental awareness for his mate’s presence. ‘There! Under that tree!’ He ran over to the comatose figure and knelt down. The injured Saiyan was barely breathing, his breath coming out in shallow pants. Vegeta crumbled a bean and slipped the fragments between his slack lips, massaging the passage of the bean down his throat with a shaking hand. ‘Please, work… work!”

Vegeta breathed a sigh of relief as the gaping wounds across Goku’s body healed, but frowned again when the pale Saiyan remained unconscious. Rubbing his hands over Goku’s arms, he realized that his mate was shivering and probably suffering from hypothermia, something the miracle bean would not be able to fix. He scooped up the larger warrior easily and was about to head back to the CC, when a thought struck him.

Now that he had acknowledged Kakarot as his mate, the ouji wanted to ‘do it right’. He wanted, no he needed, to heal the mental bond between them, which was raw from the negative emotions from both sides, and he wanted to spend some time alone with his mate. Vegeta reddened when he thought of just what he had in mind when he wanted to get intimate with the other full-blooded Saiyan, and realized with a smirk that he was in fact looking forward to it. A lot. Something he would not be able to achieve that at the CC; not only would his curious son be around, but he was quite sure that Gohan would come around with questions soon as well. Vegeta was certain that the two of them needed some time alone to come to terms with their situation.

He changed his mind and flew off in a different direction. Extending his aura to surround them both and keep them warm, he nuzzled the cool cheeks of his mate and lowered his lips to brush against the other’s temple. Goku sighed softly and turned to burrow further into the strong arms that carried him protectively, though he did not awaken. A light brown tail came up to wrap around one of the ouji’s upper arms.

Vegeta flew on through the cool night, his thoughts on the male in his arms. Though there was no moon; he had thought about wishing back the moon briefly but realized that the three of them would need time to adjust to their tails, the twinkling stars that blanketed the velvety black sky were more than sufficient to illuminate his flight path. He gazed down at the slightly gaunt face, seeing the only other full-blooded Saiyan in a new light for the first time. No longer just his rival but now his mate as well… He examined the still youthful, handsome face, so much like his teen lover yet different as well; the different slant to the eyes, the higher nose bridge – the little details that set them apart from the Ningens they live with.

Finally, Vegeta spotted a familiar squat mountain, rising amidst a lush forest, and descended to land outside a cave at the base. It was a private hideout for him; somewhere he retreated to when he wished not to be found or disturbed. He did not head inside though, but pushed aside the curtains of fronds and ferns that hung from the ancient trees until he reached one of the hot springs. The mountain was actually an extinct volcano, and though seismic activity in the region had subsided, heated spring water still bubbled from the ground in small pools. The local vegetation was especially lush and dense, fed from the fertile ash and mineral rich waters.

Quickly, he stripped off their bloodstained clothes and laid the still unconscious figure on a rocky ground. Grabbing a handful of the soapwort plants that grew profusely nearby, he washed off the blood and grime before pulling the still form into the steaming water with him.

Vegeta seated themselves on one of the ledges that circled the perimeter of the tiny pool and cradled his larger Saiyan mate from behind, hooking his legs over Goku’s hips to drape over his thighs. The mineral dense water provided the buoyancy that allowed the sleeping figure to remain seated upright without much support. Leaning his cheek against the broad back, the ouji closed his eyes as his hands rubbed slow circles over his mate’s chiseled chest and abdomen as the water lapped gently around their shoulders. The quietly bubbling hot spring was dimly bathed in silvery starlight that filtered through the breaks in the branches above. Faint chirps and calls of the nocturnal forest denizens had almost lulled the ouji to sleep when a soft voice spoke up hesitantly.

“...Vegeta…?” Goku was sure this was a hallucination. It couldn’t have been a dream for he had not such pleasant dream for many months, and it couldn’t have been reality for the prince would not be seated behind him in a hot spring, rubbing him comfortingly.

“Hmm?” Vegeta stilled his hands though he kept his arms wrapped loosely around the too-lean waist. “How do you feel?”

Goku considered for a moment. “A bit light-headed…”, his voice dropping to a faint whisper, “and very happy.”

“Are you hungry? Do you wish to get up now?”

Goku shook his head. “A little, but can we stay here a little longer?”

“Are you still cold?” Vegeta wasn’t sure how long it took to warm up someone’s core temperature when they are suffering from hypothermia.

“No… I just want to stay here with you…” Goku closed his eyes. ‘Before you go back to my son…’

The smaller Saiyan tightened his embrace. “I won’t leave you.” He had heard the faint echo of Goku’s last thought through their bond.

“What about Goten?”

“He’s my mate too.”

Goku swallowed hard. Had he heard correctly? “..Too?”

Vegeta sighed, and after a short pause, explained what Shenlong had said. “So now I’m bonded to the two of you. Goten isn’t very happy but I don’t know what to do now. I..I do care for you too.”

“I’m sorry I bit you… I didn’t know what it meant.” Goku felt terrible. “I know you don’t really love me.”

“I do… It’s a mutual bond.” Vegeta inwardly groaned. ‘What a mess.’

“But not as much as you love Goten.”

“Kakarot… What I feel for you is not exactly what I feel for Goten. With him, it’s a more playful, cozy, light kind of love… With you, it’s a lot more intense. It frightens me sometimes; I hate you yet I’m drawn to you.”

“Why do you hate me? Why do you always seem to be so disgusted with me? What have I done?” His voice cracked brokenly.

“At every step of the way, you’ve always bested me; you killed Frieza before I could, you were first to turn Super Saiyan, you were the first to discover the new levels… you were always one step ahead of me, no matter how hard I tried.”

“I though you respected strength…?” Goku remembered what he yelled at his youngest son about. He couldn’t understand how Vegeta, who sneered down at weakings, could have been attracted to Goten.

“I do. I may be resentful but I have always respected your strength as well. In a strange sort of way, Goten was strong enough for me, yet weak enough not to be a threat to me.”

“Is that how you see me? As a threat?” Goku felt crushed. “I would never.. Oh, right. I have. I have threatened you, even almost killed you.”

Vegeta shook his head. “Not that way. Not a physical threat… I have always seen you a rival.” He smiled wryly. “Even when you bit me, when you looked like you were about to tear out my throat, somehow, I knew that you wouldn’t kill me.”

Vegeta shifted out from behind the tall warrior and floated around to straddle his lap. Looking straight into Goku’s face, he continued seriously, softly. “And despite what I’ve threatened to do so ever since I’ve met you, I wouldn’t want to kill you either.”

Goku gave a small smile. “Yeah, somehow, I knew you wouldn’t.”

Vegeta gave a deep sigh before he continued. “I guess I was disgusted with you because I had different expectations of you. You are the only other full-blooded Saiyan around; I guess I’ve always expected you to behave like one. When you giggle and laugh like a Ningen buffoon, I feel affronted. You seem to see yourself more like a Ningen than a Saiyan.”

“But Goten doesn’t really seem Saiyan as well.” That fact had disturbed Goku greatly; why had the ouji mated with his youngest son then?

“I don’t really expect our sons to behave like Saiyans because they’re not. I mean, in a weird way, I expect them to behave more like Ningens, especially since they grew up here.” Vegeta looked away in embarrassment. “In a way, all these years, I had expected so much more out of you. You are more Saiyan than Goten in many ways, but I had not seen that because subconsciously, I kept comparing you with the other full-blooded Saiyans I remember from my youth.”

“And now?” Goku needed to know.

“And now…I’m not sure.” Vegeta lifted a hand to cup the younger Saiyan’s cheek. “I guess we can’t change what had happened, and I know we do have some sort of feelings for each other. I..I brought you here, and not to the CC, because I wanted to sort this out with you. I wanted…” He leaned closer, their noses almost touching. Vegeta closed his eyes with a husky whisper. “You. I want you.”

Goku closed his eyes as he felt the ouji’s soft lips brush his own, parting his own instantly. A hot tongue flicked lightly against his lips and ran teasingly along his front teeth. Kami! How he had longed, no, needed to hear that!

Their arms came up to embrace each other tightly and Vegeta brought his legs up to kick away from the ledge they were seated on. They drifted through the bubbling water, still tightly caught up in each other, lips and hot tongues meeting hungrily. When the ouji’s back contacted the other side of the hot spring, he spun around and pinned Goku’s back to the rocky surface, his right hand coming up to grip into the rock securely. Growling softly, he trailed playful nips down a corded neck, his other hand lightly scraping and pinching hardened nipples. Goku rolled his head back, leaning into the stonewall which was slanted at a slight angle, moaning and panting harshly.

Goku felt light-headed and limp; his mind seemed almost detached, yet any flickering touch sent his sensitized skin quivering and body tightening in delicious anticipation. The whole scene seemed surreal and hazy, a dream that he hoped never to wake from. The contrasting tactile sensations only served to heighten and sharpen his senses; the cold wind that blew intermittently and the steaming water, the smells from the mineral-rich water that carried a slight pungent tinge of sulphur and the sweet, spicy scent of his ouji, the hard surface his back was pressed to and the water that swirled all around him… When a hard length pressed against his, he gave a needy whimper and tightened his arms around the lithe figure, rocking his hips insistently.

They ground their hips together in a sensual, private dance, bumping and teasing. Furry lengths trailed teasing touches from the curves of tight cheeks and then out down the outer flank, back up along sensitive skin of the inner thighs before flicking lightly at aching erections and moving away again. When Vegeta lifted one of his mate’s legs to his waist, Goku immediately latched on, twining both legs around the ouji’s lean waist.

Capturing the other’s lips again, the prince gripped Goku’s hips and began to slide in slowly. When Goku tensed up, whimpering softly at the intrusion, he brought one hand around to the base of the light brown tail, raking his nails across it and pinching it lightly. Pain and pleasure combined in a swirling mix and Goku could only clutch at the ouji’s shoulders desperately, squirming and hissing as he arched his back sharply. Vegeta lowered his mental defensive walls and reached out along their bond, reassuring his mate.

Slowly, Vegeta released the kiss and started to move. Knowing that his mate was still weakened, he tried to hold back, but when Goku started buckling his hips impatiently, he lost it and powered up with a low growl. He paused briefly to give his handsome mate a smirk and a warning look from under half-lidded eyes. “Kakarot…”

Goku gave a rumbling purr in reply, a wolfish grin lifting his lips. “Give it to me, ouji-sama. Ride me like I rode you that night…” He drank in the sight of his ouji, his hair brightly golden and his flashing green eyes looking down at him with pure desire.

Vegeta’s smirk only became more dangerous at that particular memory and he tightened his grip on the younger male’s hips before he suddenly slammed into his Saiyan lover. Goku threw his head back and screamed in ecstasy as he was pounded again and again. Unable to take the increased ki surged around him and the beating as he was rammed into the cracking rocky surface behind, he quickly ascended as well.

The already heated water around them boiled and steamed as crackling energy coursed around the two legendary Saiyans. Golden tails thrashed wildly around them, lashing sensitized flesh and whipping the already churning water into a white froth. Climaxing almost simultaneously with twin cries, the linked pair released their super Saiyan forms with a sigh and slumped back against the rocky wall.

“Kakarot?” When Vegeta opened his eyes, he noted with smug satisfaction that his mate had blacked out. ‘Damn. I’m hot.’ Carrying the limp body out of the pool, he dried them both with a quick flare of his ki and padded back to the cave. Tumbling into the bed inside the small natural chamber, he barely managed to pull the covers over them before he too, fell into a deep slumber.

Vegeta blinked open surprised eyes. He was in a dreamscape again, but this was very different. It was almost as if he was somewhere on Earth, though he knew with certainty that he was dreaming. He appeared to be in some grassy meadow, and the sky overhead was overcast. Looking down, he noted that he was now wearing his leather pants and a crimson shirt. Extending his senses, he received yet another surprise. Goten was somewhere nearby!

Without a second thought, he quickly flew off towards his younger mate.

(Kiarene feels very tired herself...><)

Chapter 25

(Goten’s up and awake, practically bouncing away.)

He flew quickly towards the direction he felt his young mate was and was smiling the entire way, happy that he’d be able to see his playful lover again. As the ouji flew he could feel his young mate draw closer and closer to him. Soon he saw a figure coming into his vision and he began to pick up speed so he could hold Goten sooner rather than later. The other man sat with his legs pulled up and his chin settled snugly atop his knee, with his eyes staring in a dazed fashion to the scene in front of him. When Vegeta landed the demi-Saiyan made no sign of movement, even when Vegeta had strode over to him and was crouched down by his side he didn’t flinch.

Vegeta turned to look him over and saw the tinge of red in his eyes, he had obviously been crying and his slightly swollen cheeks, most likely from wiping away the many tears he had shed. “Goten?” he said, touching a hand to his shoulder. But there was no response, not even a flinch to show that he acknowledged his presence. “Goten, koi, it’s me…” he said softly, placing a kiss on his cheek. The next thing he knew, he was on his back on the ground and Goten was standing above him, now with brilliant glowing gold hair.

The younger man sneered at his older lover and clenched his fists tightly. “Don’t call me that! You had no right to kiss me after what you did to me! What do you just rotate around, me then him, then back to me for another go?! I trusted you Vegeta and I gave myself to you, how could you do that to someone you claim you love?!” the demi-Saiyan screamed at the other man who was currently pushing himself up to his feet.

“I don’t claim to love you, I do love you. I never went back and forth between you two, I spent most of my time with you, because I never allowed Kakarot into my life like that until now. And I know you trusted me, and I could be more happy for that then I am now, because we have had some amazing times, have we not?” Vegeta wrapped an arm around the other’s slim waist and pulled him against his own body, only to be pushed away.

“Don’t touch me, I wish I never met you,” he spat out sharply. “I hope you’re happy, you managed to make me believe you when you told me that you loved me. Only me! That’s what you said! That I was the only one for you and you’d rather die then let anything happen to me. I’m such an idiot for ever believing you…” the younger man’s power dropped and golden locks bleed back into dark midnight spikes.

“’Geta!” Goten turned around and saw his smiling father and turned back to Vegeta with a knowing look.

“I see, well if you want things to be like that then fine, I hope you’re both very happy together.”

“Goten wait, I still want to be with you, I still care about you. I promise you that I love you as much as I did a week or month ago,” Vegeta said as he began to walk towards the younger man, who began to back away in return.

Goten shook his head at him. “No this time Vegeta, this isn’t something you can kiss away. It’s not like the last time because then I didn’t know that you loved my father and slept with him willingly.” Vegeta watched his mate pinch a piece of his flesh and twist it hard, then disappear from the scene.

Goku wandered over to Vegeta and gave him a light kiss. “Let’s go ‘Geta,” he whispered into the ouji’s ear, giving the lobe a few nips before pulling back to look at the blank expression of the older Saiyan. “’Geta…”

“Go where Kakarot?” he asked, still looking blankly at the stop his lover had stood moments before.

“Go to him Vegeta, I know he acts stubborn now, but that’s probably one of the reason’s you fell for him, right? He’s a lot like you. Let’s go over to his room, I know he’ll be happy to see you.”

“Okay Kakarot let’s go over there,” Vegeta said turning to his other mate, with a smirk. Both men nodded before lifting a fist and in unison punched the other square in the jaw.

With a jolt both sleeping lovers awoke and looking at the other, feeling a dull throb as the affects of the punch wore off. The two got up and dried themselves off with a flare of ki and pulled on their clothes they had quickly discarded. “Ready?” Goku asked the shorter man, who nodded in return. Goku took Vegeta’s hand into his own and they fazed out and reappeared outside of Goten’s window. With a closer look they could see Goten wasn’t even in his room at the moment. Confused Vegeta slid the window open and climbed in, pulling his lover in with him, and sat on the bed so they could wait for Goten to return.

Goten returned a short while later, with a book he had borrowed from a friend. He tossed his jacket onto the couch and wandered into his room to find Vegeta and his father kissing feverishly on his bed. The shocked demi-Saiyan dropped the book, causing both men to look up at him. “Get out. Both of you, GET OUT!” he screamed, pointing at the window they had climbed in from.

“I’m not leaving until you forgive me Goten,” Vegeta stated, slipping off the bed and stalking towards his ‘prey’ with a hungry look on his face. Goten backed up until his back was pressed against a wall and he couldn’t go anywhere else. Vegeta pressed his body against Goten’s taller form and placed his hands on the hybrids hips. “Please Goten, I need to touch you again,” he whispered hotly into his ear, making Goten whimper lightly.

“No, get out, I hate you,” he managed to force out, pushing at Vegeta’s chest, but the form refused to move away from him.

“I know you don’t mean that,” he replied pushing his hands up the hem of Goten’s shirt, feeling his hands over the soft skin and rippling muscles. “Please Goten. Let me show you how much I care about you…” the ouji purred moving his mouth up to cover the panting demi-Saiyan’s lips in a hot kiss. The older man undid his young lover’s pants and let them fall to his feet, along with his boxers, still keeping their lips locked.

Vegeta broke off their kiss and pulled Goten’s shirt off his body and tossed it over his head to land behind him. Goten panted as he stood their naked with Vegeta pressed tightly against his body, his hands roaming all over his heated skin. Instinctively his tail moved to wrap around Vegeta’s thigh, which startled the ouji briefly before he looked down and smirked. “Ah I almost forgot about your tail.”

Goten sharply arched his back as Vegeta lightly gripped his tail and began to ruffle the fur by raking his nails down the length of it. His other hand moved to the base and began to massage and squeeze it, wringing strangled cries from the hybrid. Vegeta remembered that Goten had never had a tail before and these sensations were all new to him, which made it easier to pleasure him at this point. The ouji quickened his pace slightly with his hands, causing Goten to give another pleasured cry.

Goku sat on the bed getting very aroused himself, by the sight of the ouji pleasuring someone like that. With a light growl the younger full blood went over to the busy lover’s and began to run his hands over the older man’s chest, rubbing against his back. Vegeta leaned his head back and turned his head to give the other man a deep kiss. Goku hands moved down to Vegeta’s pants and pulled them off, along with his own torn and bloodied clothes.

Goten opened his eyes and watched through hazy vision as his mate kissed his father and he began to grow angry again. The ouji broke off his kiss with Goku when the form in front of him began to wiggle and mumble protests. “What’s wrong? Aren’t you enjoying yourself?” he asked with a smirk as a shiver raked through the demi-Saiyan’s body with a stroke to his tail.

“Not with him here!” the youth screamed, squeezing out from the under the pressure of the two Saiyan’s weight pressed down on him. Vegeta turned and tackled him down to the ground, pinning him beneath him, with his front pressed against the ground. “Vegeta get off!” Vegeta wrapped his tail around Goten’s and began to ruffle the fur, as his mouth moved down to nip at the claiming mark on his neck and he ground his hips against Goten’s tight rear. His hands roamed around to Goten’s front and he began to stoke his hardening length and pinch at his hard nipples.

“Still want me to get off?” he purred into the youth’s ear, still licking at the deep puncture mark.

“Mmm y-yes… ahhh!” He began to buck his hips back and forth, whimpering pitifully as Vegeta continued to torture him with the sweet pleasure.

“Are you sure?”

“Ah Vegeta!” he screeched, digging his nails into the hard floorboards, starting to crack them.

“So you want me now?” The demi-Saiyan nodded his head quickly and Vegeta smirked to himself. He lifted himself up and gripped Goten’s hips, pulling the shaky youth to settle on his knees and forearms. The older man gave one hard thrust and entered him completely, making the hybrid cry out from the unprepared entry. Vegeta began to thrust slowly and powerfully into his youngest lover, still keeping their tails locked together. Goten leaned down and rested his flushed cheek against the ground, lifting his rear even higher into the air, llowing Vegeta to move deeper into him, giving both of them more pleasure.

Goku watched the two again and decided that he could try again to get close. The larger Saiyan moved behind Vegeta and placed his hands on his hips, then thrust himself inside the tight heat. Vegeta arched back and screamed out. Goku leaned down and pressed his lips to his ear, “Don’t worry about me, just concentrate on Goten,” the other full blood purred into his ear, rolling his hips before thrusting in and out. Vegeta panted harshly and looked back down at Goten, making him smile. The demi-Saiyan trusted him so much to be in such a vulnerable position with him and his flushed face was making him even hotter.

As they went Vegeta began to pick up a rhythm with Goku. The larger Saiyan would pull back, Vegeta would follow, and then Goku would pound back into him, causing Vegeta to thrust back into the younger man below. Goten was getting one of the most powerful rides of his life and he loved every minute of it.

Suddenly Goku flared up to Super Saiyan, then jumped up another level, pounding relentlessly into Vegeta’s body. Vegeta and Goten screamed out loudly and Vegeta powered up to match his mate, while Goten could only power up to the first level. Goku jumped up one more level and his hair tumbled down his back, not stopping until it reached his butt. Goku leaned down and began to kiss Vegeta’s neck and hesitantly bit down on the mark, as Vegeta leaned down and sunk his teeth deep into Goten’s neck. Goten screamed loud and cam with a violent shudder. The youth would have collapsed if it wasn’t for Vegeta holding him up, still moving in and out of him, trying to reach his own climax. When Goku began to suck on the wound, Vegeta lost it and cam with a quivering moan. Goku gave a muffled shout into Vegeta’s neck and cam hard into the ouji’s body, the collapsed, causing Vegeta and Goten to do the same.

The three lay on the floor for a minute, completely spent, their power having dropped the second after their release. Goten mumbled a protest from beneath the heap and Vegeta leaned down to give his youngest mate a tender kiss. “What was that koi?”

“I can’t breathe,” he huffed out again, squirming beneath the pile of heavy Saiyan’s. Vegeta rolled over, making Goku do the same and wrapped his arms around Goten’s waist, drawing him close, as Goku did the same for him. Vegeta wrapped his tail around Goku’s waist and twisted his head around to give the large Saiyan a kiss. Vegeta felt a sting as Goten slapped him on his cheek, making him twist his head around to look at his young mate in confusion. Goten gripped a hand in his hair and pulled his head down for a deep kiss, then pulled back and snuggled against him, falling asleep quickly.

Goku chuckled deeply and Vegeta’s twisted around to look at him. “What are you laughing at?”

Goku looked down at his son as he slept peacefully in the comfort and warmth of Vegeta’s arms. “Damn brat always wants to be first.” Both Saiyan’s chuckled and shared another kiss before falling asleep. Vegeta briefly wonder however, ‘How am I supposed to be with both of them if Goten won’t allow it?’

(Hated to have to stop but I have to go get my hair cut...)

Chapter 26

(Felix manages to pick it up and add more...)

Vegeta awoke under a tree, spread out languidly next to his larger mate. He stretched and purred, feeling exquisite, but then noticed Goten wasn't around. "Hn.." the prince wondered where the youngest went, "Koi?"

Goku looked over at him, smiling warmly, "Hai?"

"Where's Goten?"

"Hmm? Oh, I don't know," he started, "He's probably...wait...oh god, no!"

"What!"

"Maybe he went exploring!"

Vegeta couldn't help but release a chuckle as he gestured around him, "Have you looked at this place, Kakarot? What could be so wrong with it? You are happy now, right? There will be no more nightmares and-"

"If you think that this place is completely my doing, you are wrong."

Vegeta swallowed, his face paling, "What do you mean?"

"If I controlled everything here, then it wouldn't effect me so profoundly. I would not of been having nightmares, Vegeta."

"Then what is this!?"

"I..do not know."

"So what can we do about Goten!? He might be in danger!"

"I realize that! I haven't been able to sense him so I figured he wasn't here!"

"But..?"

"But when you mentioned it, I began to wonder!"

Vegeta paused to assess the situation given the circumstances, "He is not dead. I would be able to feel it through the bond, or rather, from the bond being 'broken'."

"You can break a bond?"

"Iie. It's an easier way of saying inability to communicate while your mate is torn from you via death. Nappa said that a living mate and a dead mate still had a bond, but it's so hallow that it'd drive the living one insane."

Goku was quiet for a moment, "..Can you sense him?"

"In a certain way, yes, I can sense him faintly."

"So he's okay?"

"That cannot be for sure, this place might interfere with Goten's response.. He is only half-Saiyan and outside sources might disable his ability to send emotions to me. I cannot tell where he's at."

Goku grabbed his mate and tugged him up, "Come on." Vegeta decided to not question him as they raced on, the landscape changing before their eyes. "Goten!" the black-haired Saiyan called out for his son, "GOTEN!"

(Felix frowns as she was unable to continue...)

Chapter 27

(Kiarene thinks this is the most evil cliffhanger she had been left with so far… yet it has so many possibilities…)

“Do you feel him anywhere?” Goku asked Vegeta as they flew over the changing landscape. Sandy, acrid deserts bled into craggy mountains, which was abruptly swallowed by lush forests.

Vegeta frowned, concentrating. “I am not sure… He appears to be in that direction, but something else appears to be pulling me as well...” He pointed towards a swampy forest below them. “It’s extremely faint… yet familiar…” He paled suddenly and dropped out of the sky, speeding towards the swamp.

“Vegeta! Wait! What if it’s dangerous?” Goku tried to follow, but the smaller figure was quickly swallowed up by the dark marshland. Hovering above the dark green boggy ground, he looked around in frustration and worry, cursing. What had caused Vegeta to take off suddenly? The ouji was not the foolhardy type.

Vegeta skimmed over the marshy grounds slowly, hope and despair warring across his countenance as he neared the familiar presence. He drifted to a stop when he caught sight of her.

“Onna…”

Bulma looked up with an irritable look. “About time you got here!” She was dressed in jeans and her favorite ‘Capsule Corps’ T-shirt, and seated uncomfortably on a large tree root that protruded out of the olive swamp waters.

A small smile quirked across the ouji’s face. Yes, that was his onna all right. Crossing his arms, he huffed. “Your ki was so weak, it was a wonder I managed to locate you even.”

“Whatever.” She rolled her eyes and tried to stand up, but lost her balance and windmilled her arms frantically. However, before she could fall into the murky swamp, Vegeta had swooped forward.

“I see you’re as clumsy as ever.” Vegeta smirked as he hovered above the bog.

“Idiot.” The blue-haired woman gave a sudden laugh, light and trilling. “I see you’ve not changed from the surly prince I remember.” Her voice warmed with affection. “I’ve missed you too, Vegeta.”

“I..I’ve missed you too.” Vegeta swallowed hard. Time seemed to slow as he gazed into those familiar cerulean eyes.

“We need to talk, Vegeta.” Bulma’s tone became serious. She waved towards the upper branches of the gnarled trees around them. “Fly up to that larger branch, where it’s drier and more comfortable.”

“Bossy as ever too…” The ouji grumbled but obediently flew them up to the indicated branch.

Bulma seated herself comfortably on the broad perch, both legs dangling off one side, while Vegeta straddled the branch, leaning back against the trunk as he faced her, his arms crossed. “What do we have to talk about?”

“Us. You.” She gave him a smirk. “Them. Goten. Goku.”

Vegeta flushed. “Onna, I…”

“Ssh. Let me say something first.” Bulma gave a small smile. “My death wasn’t your fault; I do not blame you at all. And I’m really happy that you’ve moved on and found another love.” She snickered. “Although it’s just so like you to put up such a struggle and then end up with not one, but two mates.”

Vegeta’s expression darkened at the memories. Bulma had been pregnant a second time, when Trunks was eight. The second baby was to have been a female, but complications arose during her pregnancy and one evening, she miscarried. Both mother and child did not survive the night. “I should have been able to do something…”

“There was nothing you could have done.” She stated firmly. “It wasn’t your fault. I just want you to know that. And I want you to know what I approve of your current mates.”

He raised a brow. “What? You’re not shocked I’ve bonded to a male? No scolding? Nothing about how that brat’s is as young as our own brat?”

“No. I’ve had my share of unusual relationships during my life too, and no, I won’t tell you about them.” Bulma grinned. “I’ve learned something interesting. Saiyans live long lives, don’t they? So after a few more decades, the relative age differences won’t really matter.”

Vegeta just grunted. “What about the fact that I’m also bonded to another male, who is not only your best friend but married as well?”

Bulma frowned. “That was irresponsible of Goku. He will have to sort out his marriage with Chi Chi himself. But I’m not surprised. Even back then when I was around, I could see the tension between the two of you.”

“Nani?! That tension you saw was known as rivalry!”

“Riiight.” She smirked. “I’ll leave you to think about that.”

The blue-haired beauty sighed. “I can’t stay for much longer. I just came to talk to you… To tell you to move on; you’ve many, many more years ahead of you. You’ve spent more than 10 years mourning for me, don’t say you’ve didn’t, and I want you to be happy. I want your mates to be happy too. The memories I have of us were among the happiest of my life, but I guess… this is the closure of that chapter.”

Vegeta looked at the only woman he had ever loved… the woman he still loved, in a way. “So I guess, this is really goodbye then?”

“Yeah…”

He gave a small smile. “I may have never told you so, Bulma, but I love you.”

“I love you too.” She leaned forward and Vegeta closed his eyes when he felt her lips against his. When he opened them again, she was gone.

“Vegeta! There you are!” Goku flew anxiously towards him. “What happened?”

“…Nothing.” Vegeta gave his mate a small smile. Suddenly, the fen around him seemed a little less dank, a little more beautiful. The ouji stood up and surprised the brawny Saiyan by pulling him in for a sweet kiss. “Let’s go.”

Meanwhile,

Goten continued walking, feeling extremely frustrated and more than a little angry. He scuffed at the grass sulkily as he stomped along, his hands in his jeans pockets. ‘Dammit, why do I have to share Vegeta? He’s mine!’

He had woken up in Vegeta’s arms only to find that they were back in that dream world again. When he sat up, his good mood was shattered when he noticed his father had his arms around _his_ mate. When he had stood up, abruptly feeling the need to be alone for a while, the ouji had not woken up but instead turned to cuddle further into his father’s embrace. That was when he had flown off in a rage.

Now, he was lost. And he couldn’t care less. He knew that they were probably out there now, looking for him – he could feel their ki’s - but he didn’t feel like being found just yet. Spitefully, he had suppressed his ki and closed off their mental link, hoping that Vegeta was feeling extremely worried about him.

Suddenly, a loud gurgling roar sounded behind him, startling the sullen demi-Saiyan. Turning around, he could make out a large creature heading towards him at a lumbering pace. It was dark and vague; he couldn’t make out the edges of the creatures properly although he could tell that it had purplish black tentacles and appeared intent on him. He thought briefly about fighting it; Kami knows he’s itching for a fight, but some shred of common sense told him that this was no ordinary monster. Turning, he fled.

(Kiarene has no idea where this is going but know where she has to go now… for dinner)

Chapter 29

(For Kia to finish off…? Goten or the chapter? *grins*)

Slapping his own face, Vegeta muttered angrily under his breath, “Come on…wake up…wake up….KAMIDAMMIT!” His cheeks were stinging and red, but he was still very much in the dream world.

“Kakarot!”

The tall Saiyan was crouched over his son worriedly and turned his head towards the ouji’s direction. “Hai, Veg..OOW!” He cradled his jaw with a hurt look. “Why did ya do that for?”

Vegeta scowled down, his hand still clenched in a fist. “Why can’t we wake up?”

“I..I’m not sure.” Goku sat down with a thump, his eyes blinking rapidly in astonishment. “But if we can’t get a senzu for Goten soon, he will die.”

“Bakayaro! Did you think I didn’t know that?” Vegeta yelled in fury, pacing in short clipped steps as he considered the other options. He looked around him; they were in open grasslands, without any sort of shelter. In the distance, he could make out the dense forests. Abruptly, he made up his mind. “Kakarot, do you think you can transmit us over there..to the forests? We can’t stay out here, it’s too exposed and we’ll need to tend to Goten.”

Goku squinted at the patch of dark green and nodded. “Hai, I think so.” The two older Saiyans placed a hand each on the unconscious lad’s shoulder and Goku concentrated. The dreamscape was constantly changing, something which make his instant transmission technique much more difficult to use, and he dared not transmit to a place he cannot see directly in his line of sight.

The trio appeared in a clearing in the rainforest. The air here was much more humid and cooler; the thick canopy above them cut out much of the direct sunrays. Vegeta sat down beside his youngest mate. “I’ll stay here with Goten. You go and find some shelter… A cave would be ideal.”

Goku gave a nod and flew off.

Sighing, Vegeta brushed the blood-matted hair back from Goten’s pale face. Extending his senses outwards, he scanned the region for any possible danger. Other than Kakarot’s ki, the local area appears to be free of any ki that is stronger than a rabbit. Now focusing his senses inwards, he tried to reach out for his youngest mate through their bond. Goten’s conscious mind was asleep; his body’s automatic, defensive response to the immense pain, and Vegeta was careful not to wake the injured lad. Instead, he settled his consciousness over his youngest mate, meshing their minds together.

Vegeta laid his palms on Goten’s shoulders and then, slowly, he began to transfer his ki. It was a laborious, delicate process; the transfer has to be gradual so as not to injure the demi-Saiyan further. Goten’s own ki level was very low, and while transferring ki will not heal his injuries, it will bolster his flagging ki levels and kick start his body’s healing process. Vegeta would not have been able to accomplish this if they did not have a bond though; Goten was unconscious and unable to handle the ki his body was receiving. Even so, Vegeta found it extremely tricky; trying to separate the sensations of having two bodies and trying to direct the energy flow through an unfamiliar body.

Landing behind Vegeta, Goku was about to call out when a sixth sense told him that something was off. Walking quietly around the ouji, he realized that Vegeta seemed to be in a meditative trance of sorts, and that he was attempting to feed energy to the injured teen. He had never seen the process done before though and so he stood there, watching intently and patiently, until Vegeta finally relaxed and opened his eyes with a sigh.

Leaning over, Goku tapped Vegeta on the shoulder. “Hey, ‘Geta! I..”

“YAAA!!” The smaller Saiyan jumped up in shock and whirled around to punch the other unfortunate male on the jaw again.

“OWW!” Goku stumbled back in pain. “What did you do that for?”

“Because you shouldn’t sneak up on me.” Vegeta barked crossly, his heart racing.

“I didn’t sneak up on you… I’ve been standing here for quite some time now.” Goku insisted.

“Hn.” Vegeta crossed his arms, huffing. “Well, did you find anything?”

“Yeah! I found a cave, and there’s a stream beside as well, with lots of fishes!” The tall Saiyan nodded enthusiastically. Clapping a hand on both his mate and son, he concentrated.

Carefully, Vegeta picked up his youngest mate and walked into the cave. It wasn’t very big, only about the size of a regular bedroom. The floor was slightly sandy but otherwise clean and dry. With a controlled burst of his ki, Goku blew the sand out through the entrance and Vegeta laid Goten down on the stone floor, near the back of the chamber.

“Why don’t you go catch us some of the fish you’ve mentioned?” Vegeta muttered absently as he started to strip off Goten’s shredded shirt. “Oh yeah, and pass me your top as well. I also need some clean water.” Goten’s breathing had gotten deeper and easier since he had shared his ki, though the deep lacerations would have to be cleaned and bound.

By the time Vegeta was done, lunch was cooked as well. The two ravenous full bloods quickly polished off the grilled fishes and Vegeta went back into the cave to check on Goten. “Any change in his condition?” Goku called out from the front, where he was clearing the remains of their lunch. They had saved a few fishes in case Goten woke up.

“Better; the bleeding has stopped but he’s still unconscious.” Vegeta sat down cross-legged beside Goten. Goku padded in and seated himself behind Vegeta, enveloping the slighter ouji. “What I don’t understand is…why are we still here? Why haven’t we woken up yet?”

“I’m not sure, Vegeta…”

(Kia leaves it dangling coz the other two have done it to her…)

Onto Chapters 30 - 31

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