Hello all! Here's another Dragon Ball Z one shot to clear my head and for you all to (hopefully) enjoy! Just some father-son bonding and stuff, the usual.

This is set mid to end Buu Saga.

Please enjoy! I own nothing; the classic greatness is all Akira Toriyama

Foreign Concept

Vegeta, for the life of him, couldn't understand what was going on with his son. Well, he never could, but his behavior was bad even for him.

Granted, the world was finally at peace after Kid Buu's defeat. Those who were killed were brought back to life thanks to the Namekian Dragon Balls, Kid Buu was annihilated thanks to the energy of the world and Goku's Spirit Bomb, and with the memories of the simple-minded citizens of Earth wiped, no one could recall a thing, except for the young Sayian half-blood- and his brooding was beginning to grate his father's nerves.

A few days after that battle, the heroes of the little planet had gathered together to celebrate the defeat of Majin Buu. The party was in full swing, everyone seemed happy, and for the most part, everything seemed to be going well.

Except for a brooding, nine year old Sayian-Human hybrid sitting outside.

Vegeta had been keeping an eye on him that entire party, sipping at a glass of beer, not saying a word. He watched Trunks carefully, felt his ki levels slightly fluctuate up then go down, and he decided to do something about him once and for all.

That 'something' came about three weeks after the party, after Vegeta couldn't stand to see his son barely put any effort into training, gazing off into space and even losing to a sparring match against Goku's young son Goten. The prince had simply had enough! Not to mention he was quite tired of the constant nagging from his wife- Kami, he loved her to death, he truly did, but she was driving him nuts about something she was probably better equipped to handle!

"TRUNKS!"

The lavender-headed child gasped as his father had called him downstairs that morning. Bulma was away at a convention, and had left specific instructions for her husband to take care of their son, and to be careful with him, as she noticed he had been depressed lately. She followed up with a smack upside the head and a threat to hurt him if her son was still upset when she returned home.

'Depressed my ass! No son of mine is becoming a whining sissy! Time to whip this boy back into shape!' Vegeta thought impatiently as he waited for his son to get downstairs.

When he did, Trunks stood in front of his father and looked upwards at him. His eyes looked dead and flat, and while Vegeta made a mental note of that, he chose to push forward with his plan.

"Listen boy. I don't know what the hell is wrong with you, but today is the day it's going to stop! Let's go." Vegeta snapped. Trunks wished he could sigh but decided to just listen to his father and go along with whatever he was saying. Although he was going to need some time to think later, after he lost another sparring match.

In all honesty, Trunks had been feeling like this since his father died and for no reason. He thought it was just the lingering affects of having to deal with losing him the way he did, but it was something else, something that was bothering the overthinking nine year old for a while now.

His father had never in all the years he'd been alive, told him he loved him like he did right before he died. Sure, he spent time with him, but a majority of that time was mostly training and trying to get him to stop Goku and Goten however he could. They never did anything even remotely normal, and it bothered and scared the young Sayian to death.

What if his father got into another fight like that one? What if he died and he wasn't able to tell him goodbye, or that he loved him? What would happen to his mother? She went nuts the last time this happened, but something told Trunks he'd been down this road before...

So lost in though, he failed to see his father had leveled up to Super Sayian, and when he sensed the sudden spike in power, his eyes cleared and he quickly turned Super Sayian himself.

The next few miniutes went by in a blur. Trunks landed a few hits on his father, who blocked and retaliated back. Trunks took another moment to study his father's movements.

They were so graceful, yet so powerful... it seemed fitting he was a prince. The way he carried himself, taking nothing from no one, pushing himself so hard to become the strongest there is, determined to beat Goku no matter what... and clearly not afraid to die.

'Is he always like that? So... cold and distant...'

"Trunks! Pay attention!" His father's sharp order snapped Trunks out of his daze- but a second too late.

A sudden punch knocked the wind clean out of him, and he reverted back to normal. Another one came flying faster than the first, sending him flying hard into a boulder. His head colliding with the sudden hard object, Trunks' vision started to blur, and he struggled to pull himself out so that he could at least land another attack on his father.

Shaking his aching head, Trunks started firing one ki blast after another, growing angry and distressed when not a single one so much as grazed his father. In return, his father launched a Galaic Gun attack, hitting Trunks head on.

Falling to the unforgiving earth below, Trunks let out a whimper and tried his hardest to get up, only to be able to roll on his side. It hurt- his father had went a lot harder on him than he could remember him doing.

"Come on, boy! This isn't who I raised as my son, dammit! Get up!" Vegeta's voice boomed from somewhere above him. Trunks squeezed his eyes shut, unable to stop two round tears from rolling down his cheeks, and struggled to push past the pain to stand up.

He hated when his father taunted him because everything he said cut into him like a knife. No matter how tough he tried to be, he knew that his father's approval was something he wanted more than anything, and it stung that it took him DYING just for him to hug him and say those three words.

At that thought, Trunk's anger broke through. Temporarily fueled by emotional rage, Trunks charged at his father, catching him by shock and surprise, and managed to punch him square in his jaw. That in turn set off a spark in his father- and not in a good way. Vegeta was pissed.

One punch after another after another... it was all Trunks registered. His rage disappeared as quickly as it had come, and he couldn't stay awake any longer. Panting heavily, he allowed himself to pass out, unaware of where he'd land or what his father would think.

'I still can't beat him! He's probably disappointed in me again... but he... doesn't understand...'

Vegeta was still pissed his son had managed such a powerful punch, just to lose and then faint out of nowhere! He hadn't expected it though, and lunged forward when Trunks pitched towards him, limp and drained of energy.

"Dammit! Hey, wake up! Trunks!" He shook his head in disbelief and cradled his son bridal style in his strong arms. It was then he noticed something he wasn't sure he'd noticed for sometime now.

There were two faint streaks down Trunks' cheeks. Vegeta wondered why Trunks would cry while they were sparring, and how he hadn't noticed it. He ran a gloved thumb over his son's cheek, wondering if this was part of the depression or whatever it was that was giving Trunks such problems.

As soon as he woke up, Vegeta decided to get to the bottom of it. It wouldn't help much if his son was constantly distracted, especially if they should face any opponents that may threaten their home.

Trunks felt something cool brush past his cheeks as he slowly came around. He opened his eyes partially and found himself staring upwards at a dark, cloudy sky. He briefly wondered when had it gotten so darn cold, and better yet, how did he end up on the ground?

"Good. You're up."

Trunks winced. His father... the sparring match... losing to him... Oh, man, this bites...

Throwing an arm over his eyes, Trunks simply nodded. He wanted to ask what was the purpose of them being outside, but he knew his father was going to lay him a new one and he would much rather get it over with and be alone later.

"Trunks, what happened earlier? You were very inattentive! I could have killed you!" Vegeta snapped. Trunks kept his eyes towards the sky.

"I dunno... I thought I was okay..." he answered quietly. That only served to make Vegeta angrier, and he raised his hand, tempted to slap the snot out of his child. Eyeing his from the corner of his eye, Trunks chose to say nothing. His father had seemed to be more and more upset with him, which made it so much harder to tell him what was really wrong.

As long as he'd known, except for that one... fluke, he likes to call it, his father never showed any signs of being weak. So he won't understand what he's thinking.

"Dammit! Why the hell are you crying?!" The sudden questions earned a confused look from his young son, and he sat up, placing a hand to his cheek.

Sure enough, his face was damp again. "I... didn't know I was..." he admitted, wiping his tears away hastily, only for more to fall. He wiped those away as well.

Vegeta watched him, silent. Then, in a much gentler and soft voice, he asked, "Trunks... son, what's going on? You've been off lately and its hindering you."

Trunks shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant about the whole thing. His bottom lip was trembling, though, and after a few more moments of his father being silent and his son trying to hold himself together, the tears that had dripped so steady down his cheeks became a steady stream, and he did something he never came to regret no matter what.

He flung himself into his father, burying his face as far as he could in his chest, sobbing. Vegeta was stunned. Of all the answers he was looking for, this was certainly not one of them. He listened to his son's broken sobbing for awhile and sighed irritably.

Deep down, however, he hadn't expected his son to react like he did, and he couldn't help but wonder if he had some role to play in it. He knew he hadn't been a good father to his son- like his own father, he was used to keeping to his son at arm's length and treating him like a solider, ready for battle. It was in their Sayian blood... pure Sayian blood.

Not Trunks, he thought as a hand came to rest on his son's head and the other on his back. He's only half Sayian. The human part, the part he inherited from his oh so stubborn wife. The part that sometimes made him think irrationally and do stupid things and sulk and feel depressed and... cry.

Trunks had never done that before, though. Ever.

What had happened?

At some point, Vegeta realized it had fallen silent, save for his young son's occasional sniffling. Running his fingers through his hair, Vegeta asked yet again, "Trunks, what's wrong? Why did you just cry like that?"

Trunks was gripping the front of his father's suit tight, breathing in and inhaling the scent of his father- the scent of sweat and a strange soap he used and smiled. "Because... I don't know how to explain it. I mean, you died blowing yourself up and I..."

Cutting his son off, the prince looked down at a set of too wide eyes looking back at him. "Listen to me. And listen good. I made that choice because of you and your mother. This planet... this is my home now too, as much as I hate to admit it. And you and her... that is my family. I have to protect you."

Trunks realized he'd never heard much about his father's past. "Dad? W-What was your real home like?" he asked meekly, as if he'd lose his head if he asked such a thing. "Was it... like Earth?"

Vegeta looked straight ahead, unaware that he was pressing Trunks rather tightly to his chest, lost in thoughts of the past. When he was done mulling over something, he loosed his grip on his son and answered.

"Trunks... my home was far different from Earth. My home... was a place where you could show no weakness, no fear. Or it could get you killed."

Nodding in acceptance of the answer, Trunks asked another. "What about Grandpa? I don't know him- you think I could meet him one day? He's probably all strong and cool-looking like you, right? And not afraid of anything either."

At the innocence and admiration being poured out in front of him, Vegeta had to chuckle softly and shook his head. "No, Trunks. My father was killed by the tyrant who ruled over my people. Damn bastard shot him through the heart." He had to struggle to keep any signs of anger and hatred at the thoughts of what his family had lost.

"Oh. A-And Grandma?"

"She died when I was a baby. I don't know much about her."

Silence fell on them, with Trunks thankful his father didn't make him get off his lap. He drew comfort and strength from the man and he needed it now more than ever. "Dad?"

"What?"

Trunks curled just a little more into his father, feeling warmth seeping from his body through his suit into his cold skin. "You scared me that day. You know, um... blowing yourself... up. But... I wanted to know something. How come you told me you loved me that one time?"

Vegeta knew it was coming. Honesty, he did. But he never had an answer, even after he'd thought on it, even after he tried to convice himself the answer he finally came up with would suffice.

But that was another part he'd inherited from his mother- he was too damn smart for his age. 'Damn woman...'

"I don't know, Trunks." Vegeta mumbled softly. He glanced up at the sky; it looked like it would rain shortly. "I don't know what made me do it after so many years of never thinking of it. But I guess... with the way things were going and what I had to do... I had to... find some forgiveness somewhere."

"Forgiveness? But for what, Dad? You didn't do anything- that stupid Majin Buu did!" Trunks countered with such child-like logic. He pushed himself up and made his father match his gaze.

"I did a lot of bad things in my life, Trunks. Before you were born. I did so many things that now, I wish I hadn't done but... I can't feel much regret for it at this point." he explained.

Trunks' eyes widened. "You did?"

"Yeah. You won't understand until you're older, but living on my homeworld... I had to do what I had to in order to survive."

Once again accepting the answer he was given, Trunks rested his head back down on his father's chest. "Well, you didn't do anything to me, so there." he pouted for a moment before he stilled.

Vegeta chuckled. "Okay, runt. Fair enough."

Nodding once more in acceptance, Trunks still had one more question to ask.

"Dad... do you ever feel afraid of anything?"

And once again, Vegeta was silent, lost in thought at the newest question he'd been thrown. The silence stretched, which for his son, wasn't a problem at all- he was listening to the peaceful beating of his dad' heartbeat and hadn't noticed Vegeta burrowing his brows together in contemplation.

"...yes. I do." The answer came at last.

If that answer had been any softer Trunks would have missed it- he thanked his lucky stars Sayians had such heightened senses. "Really? You feel scared sometimes too?"

"Yeah."

Trunks smiled. "You're so strong and I never see you cry like me... and I thought you never feel scared of anything..."

"A long time ago, we battled the tyrant who destroyed my home world and took my father away from me. His name was Frieza. He was ruthless and blood[thirsty, killing Sayians off because he feared the Super Sayian who would one day oppose and defeat him, thus freeing us from his rule."

Vegeta fingered strands of his son's hair. "Kakarot became that Sayian... but I had gotten cocky beforehand and took him on, believing that I could stop him. He defeated me but I told him that Kakarot would defeat him since I could not."

Chuckling, Vegeta continued, wondering if Trunks was still awake to hear him but hoping to high heavens he wasn't. "He incapitated me, and when I had finally pushed his fear to the limit, he shot a beam through my heart. Trunks, the pain from the shot was a sensation I never wanted to experience but it wasn't that that hurt so bad. It was the fact that I was going to die... and I cried. I begged Kakarot to defeat the bastard. I had to swallow my pride that day but..."

Trunks nodded, thankful that he wasn't a freak in his father's eyes, and closed his eyes. "I love you Dad..." he breathed out, a content expression coming over his features. Vegeta tilted his head, wondering what to say to that. It wasn't like he didn't know, but... the sudden admittiance just... threw him off.

He listened as Trunks's soft snoring drifted upwards to his ears, and he shook his head as he carefully stood up, carrying his boy in arms just as the rain began to fall. By the time he'd cross the few steps and got him inside, they were both slightly damp.

"Guess I answered everything from you, huh?" he spoke to the sleeping boy. When he got no response, naturally, he rolled his eyes and pushed his son's damp hair off his forehead. "Bratty kid. Your mother spoiled you too much..."

He moved upstairs with ease to Trunks' bedroom, changing him into a t-shirt and shorts with minimal effort and still carrying him in one arm. But he as went to place him in bed, his son's scrawny arms clung onto him tight. Vegeta tried to pry him off, but that wasn't working either.

"Great. Dammit boy, you gotta go to sleep!" he growled. That only made Trunks grip so much of Vegeta's suit he damn near tore patches off. Rolling his eyes, he carried him downstairs and plopped on the couch, making sure the lights were off as he did. Grabbing the remote, he turned on to a movie channel and settled for watching a Western film that was seriously the corniest movie he's ever seen.

Vegeta paid no heed to the crappy movie playing, and instead thought over his conversation with his son.

It had taken him this long to break down and openly sob in front of him, something Vegeta realized he never did with his father a day in his life. Even with the number of times he;'s both died and faced death, he only cried that one time and that was out of desperation for Goku to beat Frieza, but also...

"Because I was afraid... just like you were, Trunks..." Vegeta whispered. He rested an elbow on the armrest and cradled Trunks in the crook of his other arm, his son's head resting on his shoulder, breathing softly against his neck and gripping the front of his suit tight. His hair sprayed about, strands sticking to his forehead while the rest brushed his shoulder and cheek.

"Fear... what a concept. Damn you for making me think about this shit, ya brat. My brat no less."

Sleeping like that showed the complete innocence that Vegeta realized he was slowly suffocating as his father had done to him. The questions he asked, the awe he always had watching him fight against enemies, the fear he was finally able to show his father, the simple and pure innocence he helped bring into this world, a world Vegeta was thankful he'd spared all those years ago.

Trunks is only a child, but so much wiser beyond his years. Vegeta realized he had a chance to give to him what his father never did, and he decided, from this night on, he'd show his son that he cared for him- in the Vegeta way, of course. He still had his pride and reputation to uphold, you know.

"I love you too, my son." Vegeta finally remembered what it was he wanted to say running a thumb over his son's parted lips. "I love you too."

He shook his head at how soft he was becoming before he leaned his head back and closed his eyes, joining little Trunks in Dream Land.

When Bulma returned home early the next morning, half ready to curse Vegeta out if Trunks was still upset and sad, and paused as she stepped into the living room. A smile soon tugged at her lips and she couldn't help the feeling of happiness she felt at the scene in front of her. Taking to make sure she didn't wake them up, she grabbed a blanket from a closet nearby and threw it over her slumbering Sayians.

"Sweet dream, you two knuckle heads." she whispered lovingly, lightly kissing her husband on his lips and kissing her only son on his forehead.

As she walked, the Sayian prince cracked open one eye, watching his unaware wife heading to their room. He smirked before he drifted off again, his son slightly squirming in his arms before settling down.

"Damn woman... you and this brat had gotten me soft." He breathed in and let it out in a calmed huff.

'But I don't think I'd want it any other way.'

END

And complete! I don't know what it is but I just love Vegeta/Trunks sap, especially over something as life changing as what had happened in the Buu Saga. And double especially since the kid was only a kid and that kind of stuff is scarring to anyone his age, Sayian or not. So I decided to write about what would have happened during that Saga.

Please let me know what you think!

Until next time!