Empty room,by EsPidibizy
Vegeta cast a glance around the Lookout. The Earthling morons were mingling happily around him, obviously relieved at the closure of yet another Earth-threatening obstacle. The fight with the pink bubble-gum like creature called Buu had finally ended, and after being revived for the umpteenth time, it was understandable that they were all chatting like there was no tomorrow.
A few hours ago, there would have been no tomorrow.
A surge of guilt –he was seriously beginning to tire of that emotion –hit him, leaving a bitter aftertaste in his mouth. He looked away, isolating himself from their happiness. He didn't deserve to be included in this joyful little reunion. His own injudicious act had been the one to start the vicious cycle of events that led up to the revival of Buu, the death of his family, and the obliteration of Earth. The prince could still remember the feeling, when he was under Babidi's sway; he could still recall the anger coursing through his veins, the power that drove him to hunger for more, the thirst for victory that could never be quenched. Oh yes, he had felt truly alive at the time, felt like his old self, a ruthless murderer with no remorse and no regrets.
Even so... he knew, deep down, that he wasn't and would never be truly like that murderer again. He had fallen too far –no, he had been lifted too far, had seen and felt too much kindness to revert back to that person. Kakarot's warmth... Bulma's love... his son's life... hell, even the Z-fighters' open concern for one another... these things had mellowed him, had made him realize that there were still people out there who openly took care of one another,who were willing to sacrifice for anothers' benefit, to whom treason was an alien concept.
'Vegeta? Are you alright?'
A hand touched his shoulder tentatively, and the prince reeled back, jerking himself away before actually considering his action. The move was instinctive, ingrained inside him from since the cold dark days of being in Frieza's ship. Vegeta had never liked to be touched. In the past, the only reason someone ever touched him was to hit him, to inflict pain, to taunt and injure him. Kindness had only ever been a cover for pain; that was what he had been taught, and that was what he believed until he set foot on Earth.
Vegeta looked up slowly, his dark eyes meeting Goku's obsidian ones. He could see Goku registering his action, and he could also see the hurt that the saiyan was trying to suppress. A surge of regret ran through him, and Vegeta shook his head in irritation, driving the uninvited feeling away. It was his right, goddamit.
'Vegeta?' That tone of worry again. How noble and naive of you, Kakarot.
'I'm fine, Kakarot,'the prince snapped. Fine everywhere except inside.Right on cue he felt the floor lurch underneath his feet, and his hand moved to grasp the wall for support. Goku, noticing this, reached out a hand to steady the prince. All the while he ignored the death glare sent his way, and he only let go once it was clear that Vegeta needed no support.
'You should rest, Vegeta,' the younger saiyan said. Well, that was blindingly obvious, wasn't it? 'You look pretty exhausted –'
'Do you think you look any better?'
'No... I mean, yes... I mean, I don't know, but –'
'Come on, Vegeta,' Bulma said. 'Goku's just worried about you.'
Yeah, well he and his worries can go to hell. Vegeta checked himself before the words actually came out of his mouth, knowing that it would have been a cruel thing to say, especially to someone like Kakarot who was genuinely concerned for his well-being. Certainly he would have subjected himself to a tongue-lashing from Bulma, and yes he'll admit it, he wouldn't feel that good about himself either.
Not that he actually did feel good about himself anyway.
Vegeta sighed. He was tired of this game of second-guessing himself. He remembered a time when anything he said, no matter how cruel, would never have bothered him. But those times had been a living hell. An onslaught of memories threatened to consume him. Almost gagging, he pushed them away. No...Leave me alone...
'Just leave me alone!' the prince murmured aloud, unaware that Goku and Bulma could very well hear him.
Goku moved until he was standing directly in front of Vegeta, capturing his full attention. 'Are you sure about that?' the third-class saiyan asked gently, in a voice so soft that only Vegeta could hear him. 'Haven't you been alone long enough?'
Vegeta stared at him, at a total loss for words. Years later he would look back at this moment and almost die laughing in hysterics –how could he still have been shocked? Hadn't Goku already proved, a million times and again, that he understood Vegeta, maybe better than the prince understood himself? Why was he still so amazed?
All his life, Vegeta had always had to fight for all he had, constantly having to prove that he deserved a place in this paradox called a life. While he had struggled, he had watched others suffer because of him; watched them fight and scream and cry, watched them break and let go of their dreams. Only a few would have refused to kill him given the chance, and was that really a surprise? Given all the pain he'd inflicted, the answer would have been a resounding no.
And yet...
During the fight against Buu, there had been a time when Vegeta had been unable to move. He had been trying to hold the evil incarnate version of Majin Buu back while Goku attempted to collect enough energy for the Spirit Bomb. In his exhaustion, the prince had yelled at Goku to get on with it, unleash the Spirit Bomb and annihilate the evil grinning down upon them, even if the prince would be obliterated for good. Vegeta remembered how he felt at the time: tired, so tired and infuriated at this noble idiot who wouldn't just get the hell on with it and end every macabre and horrifying thing they had had to endure. Instead the idiot had put the entire universe on scale by obstinately insisting on withholding the Spirit Bomb for fear of hurting the prince.
The thick-headed, unbelievably noble dimwit of a saiyan had refused.
' I... I'm not.. ' –alone anymore... 'I'm serious when I say I'm fine, Kakarot.'
Goku nodded once, not understanding but tactfully choosing to back off before they started another session of high-quality bickering. The younger saiyan took one step backwards, holding out a hand towards Vegeta as he did so. Then, he waited, unsmiling.
Vegeta hesitated. His first impulse had been to slap the hand offered away and tell Goku a very offensive and colourful variation of the words,'I can stand on my own.' He shut up and bit back the abrasive words before they left his mouth, knowing that it wouldn't be of any use to their current situation. Comprehension dawned upon him as he realized the importance of this small gesture.
The younger saiyan was still waiting. Vegeta hesitated again, another torrent of memories overcoming him, slightly better memories of happier times. This time, he reached out his own hand, and tentatively touched Goku's. Goku smiled at last, and with the fighters' attention on them he grasped Vegeta's hand and pulled the prince to stand on his own feet. The wall was abandoned.
Unknown to the two saiyans, Bulma and some of those who had been watching them were smiling. Many found it remotely amusing, how long it had taken for Vegeta to finally accept Goku's sincere and willing assistance. Others reflected on the gesture and deemed it touching. These two last pure-blooded saiyans had bad blood between them for so long –though it was generally one-sided, of course. It was high time they put their enmity aside and started working with mutual trust, because even someone blind would be able to see the way these two were bound to each other.
The more intelligent of the group would have understood the deeper meaning to Vegeta's uncharacteristic choice to accept Goku's offered help. It was a very small gesture, easily dismissed, but it marked a new leaf in their story. It was a mark of the release of anger, of sorrow, of hate; letting go of contempt, of bitterness and rage. All these disappeared, leaving room for something else to grow. An empty space that left room for tentative friendship. Tentative trust.
'Vegeta?' Goku's eyes were gentle, adorned with concern, one of his strengths that made him the truly great warrior he was.' Sure you're okay?'
Vegeta allowed the tiniest hint of a smile to play on his lips, as he replied to the other's question. 'Yes, Kakarot, I'm fine. In fact I'm feeling well enough to kick your ass if you ask that stupid question again.'
Goku blinked, eyes widening in surprise, then he laughed, along with Bulma and some of the others. Their eyes met, black eyes matching dark ones in intensity as well as expression. In that exact moment, an understanding passed across the space between them. They were and would always be rivals, to the last beat of their hearts and the last breath of their bodies. Eternity would never stop them from competing and rivalling each other, driving one another to their fullest potential.
...But there was still room for friendship.
Behind every turn and path laid out by the Lady of Fate, there would always be someone who would have to choose, and they will have to watch as their choice shapes them or breaks them. Goku had chosen. Vegeta had chosen. And their choices were interlinked with each other's, as were their destinies, leading up to a moment of eternal departure for one, and a silent pledge for the other.
Empty rooms, empty spaces. These books are open, and they're waiting. Fill in your stories, live your lives as you will, and watch them drown in the sands of time.
I have written quite a few stories, both related and unrelated to this category but only now, after such a long time did I decide to download them. This is a gift to anyone who appreciates the depth behind DragonballZ. I hope anyone who has bothered to read this far would review, even if it's just one word, to let me build up my writing.
I know, I must have been the millionth billionth author to have written something like that, but it doesn't change the fact that it's sincere..:)
Afterthought: Now that I know how it feels, I'll leave a review for every story I read from now on...