A/N: This is a story I thought of a long time ago and finally got around to
typing it up. I hope you like it. Please review.
Fatherless Again by Kasumiya Warning: YAOI!
Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ as much as I'd like to. Please don't sue. ;;
CHAPTER 1
"Well, here I am again. Fatherless again. This is the third time. I'm really getting sick of it. I'm going to go insane. I'm beginning to get discouraged, too. Maybe my purpose in life is to scare away all possible bachelors that had ever considered my mother. I'm a disgrace to this family. Maybe, subconsciously, I just don't ever want to feel like I'm replacing my real dad." With a soft growl Goten looked to the sky. "Otousan... if you're up there somewhere I want you to know I'm not at all trying to replace you. Nobody could replace Goku, the strongest man in the universe." He frowned and sighed loudly. "I may have only known what it's like to have a real father for one day, but one day is all I needed to learn who my father was. I love him dearly, too. I hope he knows." He said to himself. He ran his hands through his jet-black hair and sighed yet again. He felt a presence behind him and spoke softly. "How long have you been listening to me babble, Trunks?" The purple haired boy smiled and took Goten's hand. "Hey, don't worry about your dad. He grew up without any family at all, just my mother to keep him company on journeys. He understands you're not trying to replace him." Goten shook his head and buried his face in his friend's shoulder. "I just wish I was normal, and had a normal family like everyone else." Trunks scoffed and put his arm around the other boy's shoulders. "You think MY family is normal? You haven't been spending enough time at my house then." Goten snorted. "But at least you have a father." Trunks shook his head and wiped a tear from Goten's eye before it had the chance to fall. "Don't cry, Ten-kun. He's not exactly the most caring person. He's always locked away training. It's as though he doesn't even exist sometimes." Goten sniffed and sat up, breaking free of his long-time friend's embrace. "Okay, Trunks. Whatever you say. Hey, speaking of Vegeta, do you think he'll let me stay the night tonight?" He asked eagerly, his trademark grin masking the pain he still felt. Trunks smiled and sighed. He had known Goten so long he knew he hadn't truly comforted the smaller boy, and he grew determined to do so tonight. "Sure. He probably won't even notice." Goten ducked as Vegeta punched hard at his face, and the force of the blow made his short, spiky hair wave as if there were a light breeze. "Trunks, I thought you said he wouldn't mind!" Trunks jumped as his father tried to kick his legs out from under him, and he was rewarded by a punch in the chest. "He doesn't mind! He just wants to kill us for no reason!" He cried. Vegeta laughed heartily and landed a punch on Goten's left cheek. "I'm not trying to kill you, boy. I'm just having a little fun. Don't you want to train with your old man?" He asked, spinning around and punching his son in the stomach. Trunks coughed and doubled over. Goten had stopped dead in his tracks and was mumbling something to himself. "I wish I could train with -my- old man..." A flush spread across his cheeks and he quickly ran up the stairs to Trunks' room. Vegeta stared at the top of the stairs for a moment before whispering softly, "Kakkarott..." He crossed his arms and once again turned to face his son. "Go do something about your friend. Make him stop bawling, I can't train listening to that racket!" Trunks, who was still bent over catching his breath, looked to the stairs with concern written across his features. "Yes, father." He replied quietly before dashing upstairs. Vegeta frowned and headed off in the direction of Bulma's lab. Upstairs, Trunks walked into his room and locked the door behind him. "Go- chan? Are you in here?" He heard a soft sob coming from the balcony and he looked through the sliding glass door to see Goten sitting on the rail with his head in his hands. "Ten-kun, are you okay? What happened?" Goten quickly wiped his eyes with his sleeve and silently berated himself for being so weak. "Nothing. Nothing at all. So... what's for dinner, Tru-chan?" He asked, plastering a fake grin on his face. "Is that all you ever think about, Goten?" Trunks wagged his finger at the other boy then, as if in reply, his stomach growled. Trunks fell over and Goten laughed. "Race you downstairs, Trunks!" Proclaimed Goten, already to the door. He quickly unlocked it and he and Trunks were gone in a flash. The two sat down at the dinner table and Trunks smiled at his mother. "Say, where's dad? It's not like him to miss a meal." Bulma shrugged. "He said something about collecting the dragonballs. He'll probably be back with a treat for you two." Trunks facefaulted and Goten flailed his arms. "You mean he's making a wish on the dragonballs! And he didn't bring us along?!" The two shouted simultaneously. "Now, now boys. Calm down. I promise I'll take you on a DragonBall hunt as soon as they're usable again." The boys stared. "And how long will that be?" Trunks asked. Bulma smiled. "A year-"The boys jumped up again and both shouted. "A YEAR?!" Bulma held out her hands and gestured for the boys to sit. "A year by the namekian calendar. A hundred and twenty something days." The boys sighed and went back to eating, every once and awhile making little comments about what they might wish for. Vegeta frowned and watched as the dragon disappeared, off to its slumber until someone else decided to come along and disturb its rest. A cloud formed next to him and he took a step back. Goku blinked and looked around. "Where... where am I?" He laid eyes on Vegeta and a huge grin spread across his face. "Vegeta!" He cried. "Long time no see. It's been about seven years since the last time we met. But how-how did I get here?" Vegeta was indeed smiling inside but replied in a harsh tone. "I wished you back, Kakkarott. You need to comfort your son. You and I both know what it's like to lose a father, but at least we can make sure our sons never have to learn that lesson." Goku nodded and placed a finger on his chin, tapping absent-mindedly. "But I thought I couldn't be wished back. How did you--?" Vegeta interrupted him with a growl. "Nevermind that. Tomorrow you shall train with your boy. All day, if he so desires. I wished you back for one week, in return for something of mine. You would have never guessed the eternal dragon was one for making deals." Goku smiled and took Vegeta's hand, shaking it vigorously. "Thank you, Vegeta. I really owe you one. You truly have a good heart and soul." Vegeta winced. "No, Kakkarott... I don't." Goku smiled and patted him on the back. "Oh, no need to be modest. Heh, you're not some soul-less demon like we used to think, you've proven that." Vegeta growled. "Look, Goku, just shut up and save your strength. You've got a busy week ahead." Goku nodded and began to take off in the direction of his house. Vegeta grabbed him by the leg. "I wouldn't. Your onna seems to have moved on. She's got a new man with her. Third one this year. Besides, your son is at my home." Goku stared at Vegeta in disbelief. "Well... it's been fourteen years, I suppose she has the right to move on." He said quietly. Vegeta heard his voice quaver and frowned. "Come, Kakkarott, you can stay at my place." Goku kept his gaze fixed on the ground, but nodded and took off with the other saiya-jinn anyways. "Goten, do you think Kokkoru is pretty?" Goten turned over and rubbed his eyes. It was four in the morning and Trunks wouldn't stop talking about girls. "Which one is that?" Trunks sat up. "You know! Only the most popular girl in the music scene at Orange Star High! Kokkoru Starasu, that crazy Nezumi's cousin. The one with the long purple odangoes." Goten remembered her. She was in some heavy metal band. "Yeah, I know who you're talking about." Trunks gaped. "Well? Do you think she's pretty?" Goten sighed and turned back over, his back facing Trunks. "Yeah, she's pretty. Pretty scary, if you ask me." Trunks sighed. "Don't you like any girls? You'd be a lot less lonely if you just dated like the rest of us." Goten sat up and faced Trunks. "I'm not like 'the rest of you' Trunks. I'm not like everybody else. I used to think that's why we were such great friends but now you're just like everybody else and I'm the individual. I'm the freak. Now can we -please- go to bed?" Trunks blinked as Goten laid back down, his back facing the older boy again, and covered his head with a pillow. He got up and left the room, muttering to himself. "If I didn't love you so much I'd slap you, Ten-kun." Goten heard this, and thought he must've already fallen asleep. Trunks wandered into the kitchen and saw his father sitting at the table with a man that resembled Goten so closely that he had to stop and rub his eyes to make sure he wasn't dreaming or something. "G-goku?" He stammered. Vegeta shushed him with a loud growl and set down the bottle of sake he had been drinking on the table. "Quiet boy, or you'll ruin your friend's surprise." Trunks clapped both of his hands over his mouth. Then he quietly exclaimed, "That! That is what you wished for with the dragonballs?!" Vegeta nodded. "It is only for a week and at great cost did I accomplish such a deed. However, I do not mind... as long as your little friend stops sniveling like a baby." Trunks rushed over to his father and hugged him. "Ack... get off me, boy. I've no time for your sentiment!" Vegeta pried his son off of him and took a much-needed breath of air. Goku chuckled to himself and they all became silent as they heard footsteps on the stairs. Trunks shushed the older men. "I'll deal with him." Goten was halfway down the stairs when he noticed Trunks coming up to meet him. "Trunks... I-I wanted to apologize. I didn't mean to be so cross with you earlier. I've just been really confused lately. I had no right to yell at you. Can we still be friends?" Trunks smiled and hugged the smaller boy. "Of course, Goten. We'll always be friends." Goten frowned still and sat down. "Actually... we need to talk about something else, Trunks." Trunks quirked an eyebrow but nodded and sat next to Goten on the stairs. "You heard me talking about how I'm not like you and... well... I wanted you know why." Trunks stared intently at Goten, really wanting to know what was troubling him. "Well I guess the reason is that I don't like girls..." Trunks interrupted him. "Goten, I don't understand what you're getting at. You don't like girls because...?" Goten kept his gaze locked on his hands. "Because I like guys... well... not really guys. Just you." Trunks gawked for a second, unable to form a coherent sentence. Goten let his head hang down, certain that Trunks would soon be retracting his earlier statement about them always being friends. "Please don't hate me..." He uttered, barely audible. Finally Trunks spoke. He placed his finger under Goten's chin and lifted his face so their eyes met. "Goten, I could never hate you. No matter how hard I tried it just wouldn't work. I love you too damn much for anything to make me feel any different." Goten chocked back a sob and threw his arms around the purple-haired bishounen.Trunks tried sorting through the many throughts racing through his head and as if on cue Vegeta cleared his throat and Trunks remembered Goten's surprise. "Oh!" He said, releasing his embrace of Goten to smile and kiss his forehead. "We'll talk more later, kay? I've got a surprise for you." Goten drew his eyebrows together in confusion as Vegeta cleared his throat again and Trunks corrected himself. "Well, otousan has a surprise for you." Trunks stood up and held out his hand to the other boy. Goten gladly placed his own hand in Trunks and stood up. "In the kitchen." He said, pushing Goten into the next room. Vegeta scoffed and smirked at Trunks. "I knew he was a fruitcake." Trunks and his father exchanged glances as they heard a gasp, followed by a loud thud. They stared down at Goten's form on the kitchen tile and Vegeta burst into a fit of laughter. Goku grinned. "I guess he was surprised to see me."
Fatherless Again by Kasumiya Warning: YAOI!
Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ as much as I'd like to. Please don't sue. ;;
CHAPTER 1
"Well, here I am again. Fatherless again. This is the third time. I'm really getting sick of it. I'm going to go insane. I'm beginning to get discouraged, too. Maybe my purpose in life is to scare away all possible bachelors that had ever considered my mother. I'm a disgrace to this family. Maybe, subconsciously, I just don't ever want to feel like I'm replacing my real dad." With a soft growl Goten looked to the sky. "Otousan... if you're up there somewhere I want you to know I'm not at all trying to replace you. Nobody could replace Goku, the strongest man in the universe." He frowned and sighed loudly. "I may have only known what it's like to have a real father for one day, but one day is all I needed to learn who my father was. I love him dearly, too. I hope he knows." He said to himself. He ran his hands through his jet-black hair and sighed yet again. He felt a presence behind him and spoke softly. "How long have you been listening to me babble, Trunks?" The purple haired boy smiled and took Goten's hand. "Hey, don't worry about your dad. He grew up without any family at all, just my mother to keep him company on journeys. He understands you're not trying to replace him." Goten shook his head and buried his face in his friend's shoulder. "I just wish I was normal, and had a normal family like everyone else." Trunks scoffed and put his arm around the other boy's shoulders. "You think MY family is normal? You haven't been spending enough time at my house then." Goten snorted. "But at least you have a father." Trunks shook his head and wiped a tear from Goten's eye before it had the chance to fall. "Don't cry, Ten-kun. He's not exactly the most caring person. He's always locked away training. It's as though he doesn't even exist sometimes." Goten sniffed and sat up, breaking free of his long-time friend's embrace. "Okay, Trunks. Whatever you say. Hey, speaking of Vegeta, do you think he'll let me stay the night tonight?" He asked eagerly, his trademark grin masking the pain he still felt. Trunks smiled and sighed. He had known Goten so long he knew he hadn't truly comforted the smaller boy, and he grew determined to do so tonight. "Sure. He probably won't even notice." Goten ducked as Vegeta punched hard at his face, and the force of the blow made his short, spiky hair wave as if there were a light breeze. "Trunks, I thought you said he wouldn't mind!" Trunks jumped as his father tried to kick his legs out from under him, and he was rewarded by a punch in the chest. "He doesn't mind! He just wants to kill us for no reason!" He cried. Vegeta laughed heartily and landed a punch on Goten's left cheek. "I'm not trying to kill you, boy. I'm just having a little fun. Don't you want to train with your old man?" He asked, spinning around and punching his son in the stomach. Trunks coughed and doubled over. Goten had stopped dead in his tracks and was mumbling something to himself. "I wish I could train with -my- old man..." A flush spread across his cheeks and he quickly ran up the stairs to Trunks' room. Vegeta stared at the top of the stairs for a moment before whispering softly, "Kakkarott..." He crossed his arms and once again turned to face his son. "Go do something about your friend. Make him stop bawling, I can't train listening to that racket!" Trunks, who was still bent over catching his breath, looked to the stairs with concern written across his features. "Yes, father." He replied quietly before dashing upstairs. Vegeta frowned and headed off in the direction of Bulma's lab. Upstairs, Trunks walked into his room and locked the door behind him. "Go- chan? Are you in here?" He heard a soft sob coming from the balcony and he looked through the sliding glass door to see Goten sitting on the rail with his head in his hands. "Ten-kun, are you okay? What happened?" Goten quickly wiped his eyes with his sleeve and silently berated himself for being so weak. "Nothing. Nothing at all. So... what's for dinner, Tru-chan?" He asked, plastering a fake grin on his face. "Is that all you ever think about, Goten?" Trunks wagged his finger at the other boy then, as if in reply, his stomach growled. Trunks fell over and Goten laughed. "Race you downstairs, Trunks!" Proclaimed Goten, already to the door. He quickly unlocked it and he and Trunks were gone in a flash. The two sat down at the dinner table and Trunks smiled at his mother. "Say, where's dad? It's not like him to miss a meal." Bulma shrugged. "He said something about collecting the dragonballs. He'll probably be back with a treat for you two." Trunks facefaulted and Goten flailed his arms. "You mean he's making a wish on the dragonballs! And he didn't bring us along?!" The two shouted simultaneously. "Now, now boys. Calm down. I promise I'll take you on a DragonBall hunt as soon as they're usable again." The boys stared. "And how long will that be?" Trunks asked. Bulma smiled. "A year-"The boys jumped up again and both shouted. "A YEAR?!" Bulma held out her hands and gestured for the boys to sit. "A year by the namekian calendar. A hundred and twenty something days." The boys sighed and went back to eating, every once and awhile making little comments about what they might wish for. Vegeta frowned and watched as the dragon disappeared, off to its slumber until someone else decided to come along and disturb its rest. A cloud formed next to him and he took a step back. Goku blinked and looked around. "Where... where am I?" He laid eyes on Vegeta and a huge grin spread across his face. "Vegeta!" He cried. "Long time no see. It's been about seven years since the last time we met. But how-how did I get here?" Vegeta was indeed smiling inside but replied in a harsh tone. "I wished you back, Kakkarott. You need to comfort your son. You and I both know what it's like to lose a father, but at least we can make sure our sons never have to learn that lesson." Goku nodded and placed a finger on his chin, tapping absent-mindedly. "But I thought I couldn't be wished back. How did you--?" Vegeta interrupted him with a growl. "Nevermind that. Tomorrow you shall train with your boy. All day, if he so desires. I wished you back for one week, in return for something of mine. You would have never guessed the eternal dragon was one for making deals." Goku smiled and took Vegeta's hand, shaking it vigorously. "Thank you, Vegeta. I really owe you one. You truly have a good heart and soul." Vegeta winced. "No, Kakkarott... I don't." Goku smiled and patted him on the back. "Oh, no need to be modest. Heh, you're not some soul-less demon like we used to think, you've proven that." Vegeta growled. "Look, Goku, just shut up and save your strength. You've got a busy week ahead." Goku nodded and began to take off in the direction of his house. Vegeta grabbed him by the leg. "I wouldn't. Your onna seems to have moved on. She's got a new man with her. Third one this year. Besides, your son is at my home." Goku stared at Vegeta in disbelief. "Well... it's been fourteen years, I suppose she has the right to move on." He said quietly. Vegeta heard his voice quaver and frowned. "Come, Kakkarott, you can stay at my place." Goku kept his gaze fixed on the ground, but nodded and took off with the other saiya-jinn anyways. "Goten, do you think Kokkoru is pretty?" Goten turned over and rubbed his eyes. It was four in the morning and Trunks wouldn't stop talking about girls. "Which one is that?" Trunks sat up. "You know! Only the most popular girl in the music scene at Orange Star High! Kokkoru Starasu, that crazy Nezumi's cousin. The one with the long purple odangoes." Goten remembered her. She was in some heavy metal band. "Yeah, I know who you're talking about." Trunks gaped. "Well? Do you think she's pretty?" Goten sighed and turned back over, his back facing Trunks. "Yeah, she's pretty. Pretty scary, if you ask me." Trunks sighed. "Don't you like any girls? You'd be a lot less lonely if you just dated like the rest of us." Goten sat up and faced Trunks. "I'm not like 'the rest of you' Trunks. I'm not like everybody else. I used to think that's why we were such great friends but now you're just like everybody else and I'm the individual. I'm the freak. Now can we -please- go to bed?" Trunks blinked as Goten laid back down, his back facing the older boy again, and covered his head with a pillow. He got up and left the room, muttering to himself. "If I didn't love you so much I'd slap you, Ten-kun." Goten heard this, and thought he must've already fallen asleep. Trunks wandered into the kitchen and saw his father sitting at the table with a man that resembled Goten so closely that he had to stop and rub his eyes to make sure he wasn't dreaming or something. "G-goku?" He stammered. Vegeta shushed him with a loud growl and set down the bottle of sake he had been drinking on the table. "Quiet boy, or you'll ruin your friend's surprise." Trunks clapped both of his hands over his mouth. Then he quietly exclaimed, "That! That is what you wished for with the dragonballs?!" Vegeta nodded. "It is only for a week and at great cost did I accomplish such a deed. However, I do not mind... as long as your little friend stops sniveling like a baby." Trunks rushed over to his father and hugged him. "Ack... get off me, boy. I've no time for your sentiment!" Vegeta pried his son off of him and took a much-needed breath of air. Goku chuckled to himself and they all became silent as they heard footsteps on the stairs. Trunks shushed the older men. "I'll deal with him." Goten was halfway down the stairs when he noticed Trunks coming up to meet him. "Trunks... I-I wanted to apologize. I didn't mean to be so cross with you earlier. I've just been really confused lately. I had no right to yell at you. Can we still be friends?" Trunks smiled and hugged the smaller boy. "Of course, Goten. We'll always be friends." Goten frowned still and sat down. "Actually... we need to talk about something else, Trunks." Trunks quirked an eyebrow but nodded and sat next to Goten on the stairs. "You heard me talking about how I'm not like you and... well... I wanted you know why." Trunks stared intently at Goten, really wanting to know what was troubling him. "Well I guess the reason is that I don't like girls..." Trunks interrupted him. "Goten, I don't understand what you're getting at. You don't like girls because...?" Goten kept his gaze locked on his hands. "Because I like guys... well... not really guys. Just you." Trunks gawked for a second, unable to form a coherent sentence. Goten let his head hang down, certain that Trunks would soon be retracting his earlier statement about them always being friends. "Please don't hate me..." He uttered, barely audible. Finally Trunks spoke. He placed his finger under Goten's chin and lifted his face so their eyes met. "Goten, I could never hate you. No matter how hard I tried it just wouldn't work. I love you too damn much for anything to make me feel any different." Goten chocked back a sob and threw his arms around the purple-haired bishounen.Trunks tried sorting through the many throughts racing through his head and as if on cue Vegeta cleared his throat and Trunks remembered Goten's surprise. "Oh!" He said, releasing his embrace of Goten to smile and kiss his forehead. "We'll talk more later, kay? I've got a surprise for you." Goten drew his eyebrows together in confusion as Vegeta cleared his throat again and Trunks corrected himself. "Well, otousan has a surprise for you." Trunks stood up and held out his hand to the other boy. Goten gladly placed his own hand in Trunks and stood up. "In the kitchen." He said, pushing Goten into the next room. Vegeta scoffed and smirked at Trunks. "I knew he was a fruitcake." Trunks and his father exchanged glances as they heard a gasp, followed by a loud thud. They stared down at Goten's form on the kitchen tile and Vegeta burst into a fit of laughter. Goku grinned. "I guess he was surprised to see me."