Haven't written much for a while. Back to school. Sucks, right?

I like to write inconsequential, fluffy little one-shots like this to take the edge of school stress. And, seriously, the more stress the more fluff, so prepare yourself for major 'cutie-pie' moments in this particular one-shot.

By the way, in this story Goku's back, Trunks is eight and Goten is seven. The specified main characters are Goten and Trunks as the plot is focused mostly around them, but it's also very Vegeta x Bulma too! :) Just the way I like it.

Enjoy, my pretty lil' buttercups! XD

xxx

Bulma opened her eyes a fraction and they quickly adjusted to the warm mellow light coming in through the linen curtains and falling on her and her husband's faces.

She smiled and snuggled deeper into her pillow, looking at the man beside her.

Vegeta always looked so adorable when he was sleeping, although he was furious every time she mentioned this. There was no scowl, no defensive veiled eyes, no arrogant smirk.

His scarred chest rose and fell steadily and there were points where he made little kitteny snuffles in the midst of a dream. The nightmares had ceased a year ago- Bulma liked to think it had something to do with her.

Bulma moved closer to him and closed her eyes again.

"I know you're awake, woman."

Bulma started and looked up at a pair of indignant coal-black eyes glaring down at her.

"Good morning to you too, Vegeta." Bulma wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "Isn't it a beautiful morning?"

Vegeta grunted.

"Don't you just love Saturdays?"

"I think I'd love this one even more if we didn't have to spend it with Kakkorot, his insufferable woman and their spawn."

"I think you mean Goku, Chi-chi and Goten."

Vegeta just scowled at her.

It was true; Bulma had arranged a picnic at the local woodland park for the two families. Gohan had a date with Videl, so he was unable to join them.

Needless to say, Vegeta didn't appreciate being dragged away from his training to socialize. But he knew how Bulma liked this sort of thing and, more importantly, how she'd never stop nagging him if he didn't go.

It didn't mean he had to be graceful about it, though.

"We've still got an hour or two before we have to get up, though," Bulma inched even closer to him and kissed him. She tilted her head and smiled coyly. "Can you think of a good way to pass the time?"

Vegeta's bad mood evaporated instantly and his arms wrapped around her waist, lowering her back onto the bed.

Her soft, sleepy scent in the morning drove him crazy.

It was times like this, he really didn't mind being on Earth-

"Eww, you guys!"

They both froze and looked at the doorway to see Trunks standing there, his arms crossed.

"Oh, good morning, sweetie!" Bulma went pink.

"Go back to your room, brat!" Vegeta snarled.

"Chi-chi just called to say they'd be over in five minutes- they said to tell you." Trunks didn't seem half as embarrassed by his parents' positions as they were, but he was definitely making a face. "Can I have toast and jam?"

"Make it yourself!" Vegeta yelled.

"Vegeta!" Bulma wriggled out from under him and grabbed her dressing gown. "Of course you can, baby. We were just getting up."

Vegeta growled.

As Bulma smoothed her hair and padded out to the hallway, Trunks blinked at his father, confused.

"What's up, dad? You seem tense."

Vegeta just glared at him. "You need to work on your timing, son."

xxx

"Aren't you glad we picked such a good day for this?"

Bulma smiled in response at Chi-chi as they walked along the dirt path. Up ahead, Goten and Trunks were running in circles, battling idly with sticks they found in the undergrowth. Behind them, Goku and Vegeta walked- Goku chatting animatedly whilst Vegeta didn't even pretend to listen.

"And then!" Goku beamed. "I finally caught the fish! It was like, this big!" He waved his arms about.

"Don't talk to me, Kakkorot."

"Have you ever gone fishing, Vegeta?"

"I said: Don't talk to me."

"We should go together sometime!"

"I swear to God, you fool-!"

"Great! It'll be so fun, Vegeta!"

Vegeta gave Bulma a: This Is Your Fault look.

Bulma gave him a sunny smile in response and looked away quickly before he could glare back.

She knew how much he still wanted her from this morning- it was fun to test his limits a little.

Both families reached a vast clearing. At one end of the grass, a group of boys were playing cricket. A few other small families and couples were sprawled out on chequered blankets.

"Yay!" Goku grinned. "Picnic time!"

"Dad," Trunks tugged at Vegeta's arm. "Goten and me are gonna go play over there, okay?"

"Fine, whatever." Vegeta muttered.

Bulma collapsed on the blanket Goku set out. "We should totally do this more often!" She laughed.

Vegeta gave her a look.

"Don't give me that look, Vegeta." Bulma sighed, without even having to glance at him.

"Sure!" Goku said. "I mean, Vegeta and I were just planning our fishing trip-!"

"Don't start that again, Kakkorot."

Vegeta sat back and watched as Bulma got out some of the food Chi-chi had packed and Chi-chi defended the roast chicken she had saved for the main part of the picnic from Goku's wandering grasp.

Vegeta was often quite smug about his choice of woman compared to Goku's.

Chi-chi wasn't nearly as gorgeous as Bulma, nor as spirited.

If Bulma had been a Saiyan and had a power level, she might have been more formidable than Vegeta himself.

He'd rather die a thousand painful deaths than say this out loud, though.

A few minutes later, Trunks and Goten trailed back to the group.

Bulma frowned at them as they sat on the blanket, oddly despondent.

"What's up, guys? Don't tell me you're tired out already!"

"No." Goten fiddled with the edge of the blanket.

"It's nothing." Trunks glared into the distance.

Their parents exchanged confused looks.

As Chi-chi served the food, Bulma leaned towards Goku and Vegeta.

"I think you should talk to them." She whispered.

"Why me, woman? You talk to him." Vegeta snapped.

"It might be a boy problem." Bulma replied.

"And what's that meant to be exactly?" Vegeta demanded.

"Sure, Bulma," Goku said. "We'll talk to them."

xxx

Their fathers drew Trunks and Goten aside from the picnic a moment later, the boys didn't even want to look them in the eye.

Goku knelt in front of Goten. "What's up, son?" He asked.

Vegeta stood cross-armed in front of Trunks. "Speak, brat." He snapped, impatiently.

Goten and Trunks glanced at each other and finally Goten pointed to the group of boys playing cricket.

"They made fun of us." Goten muttered.

"They told him his clothes were shabby." Trunks muttered. "And that he must be too poor to afford a haircut."

"And they said Trunks' hair and eyes look freaky." Goten admitted.

Goku bit his lip. Vegeta kept on glaring.

"And?" Vegeta said icily. "Why aren't they dead?"

"Vegeta!" Goku sighed.

Trunks shuffled his feet. "Mom told me that if I fought with humans outside of a tournament, she'd ground me." He sighed.

Goten nodded. "Yeah, mom would yell at me if I punched those guys."

"I think we should have a one-on-one chat with them." Goku whispered to Vegeta, straightening.

"Fine by me." Vegeta grabbed Trunks' arm and pulled him aside.

Meanwhile, Goku patted his son on the head.

"What you need to understand is that not everyone is always going to be nice to you." He said. "The best thing is to just ignore it."

Goten nodded wordlessly.

"But," Goku said. "They took it out on Trunks too, right? And Trunks is your friend."

Goten looked up at him. "Yeah?"

"So, if someone starts picking on your friends, that's when you need to take action."

Goten blinked. "How, dad?"

"Well," Goku considered. "They're just humans. It would be best to confront them with words. Tell them what they're doing is wrong and, if they continue, you'll bring your parents into the situation."

Goten stared at him hopefully. "And you think that'll work, dad?"

"Sure, son," Goku hugged him. "Remember, Goten, violence isn't always the answer."

xxx

"Why didn't you punch that little brat in the face?" Vegeta demanded.

Trunks rubbed the back of his neck. "I told you, dad. Mom would ground me."

Vegeta hissed in irritation. "Worry about her later. As a member of the Saiyan royal bloodline, pride is everything."

"But, dad-!"

"I'll talk with your mother. Now, go over there and do what a warrior would do."

Trunks' gaze hardened. "Right." He said and began walking.

xxx

"What did Vegeta say?" Goten asked.

"He told me to beat the crap out of 'em."

"No, Trunks!" Goten protested. "We need to talk it out. Violence isn't always the answer."

Trunks frowned. "You sure about that?"

"Maybe we could do both!" Goten suggested.

"Sounds fair." Trunks replied.

They walked until they reached the group of boys again.

"Oh, look," The lead bully put down his bat and jeered. "It's the pauper and the freak. What'd you guys want?"

"To talk about our feelings." Goten beamed.

"Yeah." Trunks cracked his knuckles. "Feelings."

xxx

"Well?" Bulma looked at Vegeta. "What was it all about?"

"Some little brats were picking on our little brat."

Bulma's fists tightened. "And where are their parents?"

"God knows."

"Vegeta," Bulma narrowed her eyes. "You didn't tell Trunks to fight, did you?"

Vegeta took a moment out to curse her razor-sharp intuition.

"Listen, woman," He began. "A Saiyan warrior-"

"Don't you give me that royal bloodline crap, Vegeta! I already promised myself I wouldn't let Trunks turn out as violent as you!"

"Tch." Vegeta muttered.

"We need to stop this fight before it happens." Bulma got to her feet.

"They said he was freaky-looking."

Bulma froze, then turned round slowly. "What?"

"They said his hair and eyes were strange."

"But that's ridiculous!" Bulma exploded. "Trunks is such a handsome boy! He's been so lucky with looks- he inherited my fair coloring instead of yours!"

"Yes," Vegeta watched her out of the corner of his eye. "And they said he looks freaky."

Bulma paused a moment, then re-seated herself back on the blanket.

"Maybe I can overlook a fight this once."

xxx

In the meantime, seven boys lay almost comatose on the grass, whilst four remained, trembling.

"So remember," Goten punched a kid in the stomach. "It's important to talk about your problems instead of lashing out at others. Violence is not the answer."

"Well said, Goten." Trunks kicked one of them into a tree. "Well said."

"Wh-what the hell are you freaks?!" A boy demanded, quivering.

Trunks snapped his arm like a twig. "Now that's not a very constructive word to use." He said.

Goten kicked him in the throat. "Yeah. You should really work on that."

The two boys gained some distance and Goten gave the remains of the bully group a cheerful wave.

"I'm glad we managed to overcome our differences, you guys!" He shook his head. "But you still need to work on those anger issues."

"Yeah," Trunks held out his palm, charging a ki blast directed at the group. "See a counselor." The ki blast hit and half the field went up in smoke. "Bitches."

xxx

"What on earth were you doing?!" Chi-chi cried.

"Listening to dad." Goten said innocently.

Chi-chi shot a poisonous look at her husband, who held up his hands. "Hey, I told him to talk it out!"

"We did talk it out," Trunks told him. "There were just ki blasts involved."

"Oh," Bulma smoothed her dress. "What're you gonna do? They're just kids."

Trunks and Goten did their best to look angelic.

Vegeta, meanwhile, was admiring his son's handiwork. "Look at that," He chuckled. "There's barely anything left of the place. Just smoke and ashes." He nodded at Trunks. "Not bad, boy."

Trunks grinned. "Thanks, dad."

"You're all completely insane!" Chi-chi cried. "How can you think this is right? They were just humans and you used violent means to-!"

"They said Goten looked shabby," Goku said. "And that we were too poor to give him a haircut."

Chi-chi was silent for a moment. Then she adjusted her hair clip.

"Well," She said. "They are just kids after all. I'm sure no permanent harm was done."

"Unfortunately." Bulma added cheerfully.

"Let's find another field for a picnic." Goku suggested.

Goten grabbed his hand. "I really enjoyed playing with the other kids, dad!"

"Eh-heh…" Goku laughed uneasily.

"Me too," Trunks said. "Punching people is fun."

"Let's go find some more kids!" Goten cried, running off.

"Okay!" Trunks ran after him.

Bulma glared side-ways at Vegeta. "I blame you for this."

"Don't look at me," Vegeta muttered. "He gets his sadistic streak from you."