Chapter 2: Lies and Masks
Silence and nothing.
No one dared to interrupt it. Inwardly, however, silence hadn't reigned. Gohan's thoughts attacked him. They were cruel, vicious — they refused to leave him alone. Demons had taken away his peace long before now. The boy's mind made ghosts of his mistakes and it left him hollow.
He knew it was his fault. There wasn't anyone else to blame or shake his finger at, no one but himself. He saw it in his reflection. The youngest warrior couldn't hold his head high anymore nor bare to stare at himself for too long in the mirror. He shouldn't even OWN any.
He wasn't a savior. He wasn't his father.
The reflection in the car's window was just as cruel.
He closed his eyes.
Haunting memories of the death of Son Goku, earth's true hero, came. They never went away. The fight, the blood, the power he still feared. They would last, and with it, always, the pain.
Goku had given him one last lie. Forgiveness. He almost found it laughable now. To truly think such a wondrous thing could ever be offered to him. They were false words and wasted ones on his worthless life...
His father shouldn't have lied. It only served to further darkness.
Then again, Gohan had lied, too... Hadn't he? He promised he would take care of his mom. He promised the man that and failed.
In the end, he always did. He would always prove to be a disappointment.
The car ride had been quiet, and it unsettled Bulma. It made the already long road seem longer. Still, she had numerous calls to make to the others, and court services. First, the news of cancellation and then... what had happened.
She couldn't bring herself to do either in the beginning.
The scientist knew the paperwork of custody would not be so difficult. She was given rights as a legal guardian a few years ago from a worrying Chi-Chi after Namek. Furthermore, she was married. The heiress would be granted custody almost automatically.
Still, the woman never expected this. She would have never wished for it, either.
Bulma had reassured Chi-Chi that nothing was going to happen, not to her or Goku. The latter of the two was meant to make sure of that; even though he was thought to be dead at the time.
It was another lie. Genius or not, anyone could figure that out. She cursed Chi-Chi for her actions.
Finally, the silence was broken.
Bulma sighed, gaze flickering into the rear view mirror at Gohan. He appeared asleep. It was when she noticed something missing. Elbow sticks out to prod the man occupying the seat next to her. "Vegeta, put his seat belt on for him." She doubted the boy even cared; her own husband never bothered with it. "Don't wake him."
The man grunted. "I highly doubt a car crash would kill the brat. If it did, he is no saiyan."
She rolled her eyes. "Just do it, or next time I'm making you deal with Trunks' accidents."
"Hn." The battle was lost.
Vegeta, frown deepening, moved to halfheartedly buckle the safety device in as he leaned over his own seat. The hybrid stirred slightly, mumbling something incomprehensible, but eyes never opened.
If he had woke, Vegeta likely would have blasted the boy into oblivion — then his wife for the notion. He would not admit care. Not for his rival's son.
In the back of his mind, though, Vegeta knew that was an empty threat.
All the while, Bulma pulled her phone off from the dashboard; her eyes would only be off the road for a second. Fingers quickly pressed numbers on the touch screen until the first name appeared.
Krillin and Master Roshi first, she supposed.
Someone was shaking him from resting refuge.
Sleep sometimes, though rarely, was a blessing. It allowed him to forget pain, even if only for a little. In other cases, however, it was just as awful as reality and boy developed INSOMNIAC behaviors because of it. Now, regardless, no nightmare could prove to be worse. It couldn't be compared to this, not in the slightest.
Eyes blinked open and an unfocused gaze fell on the woman in front of him. He was faced with Bulma again. "We're here, Gohan." He merely nodded before he tried to get out. He found himself unable to do so without removing the seat belt strapping him in. Very briefly, the hybrid wondered when he had put it in place.
They walked ahead and he followed without a word behind them. He hadn't bothered to look at much, the place was the same as it always was.
Vegeta had left for the kitchen, while Bulma gave Gohan a worrying look as he stopped promptly in the hall. "Are you hungry?" The woman's question made Gohan look at her and blink.
Was he hungry? The hybrid didn't feel like eating. He hadn't ate, no; his stomach was as empty as him, but he didn't have an appetite for food, either. A meal wouldn't be as filling as it should be, anyways.
He slowly shook his head, gaze again fallen. "No." It was the only response Bulma would receive to the matter.
Another awkward silence settled.
Panchy ruined it. The blonde, short hair to her ears, still was as overflowing with mirth as always. "Oh, Gohan! What a lovely surprise!" The woman ignorant to the atmosphere. "Did you come to see Trunksie—?"
He seems to shrink, almost stepping back and wondering if distance would be his savior here. Bulma was quick to recuse the boy, however.
"Mother, could you give us a moment? He's— Gonna stay here. I'll talk to you and dad soon about it, okay?" The blonde only gives an owlish blink, now wondering what could possibly be upsetting the youth. Hands go to cup her face with the faint words of oh dear. She departs, but notbefore making Gohan know he was always welcomed, promising her cookies and to make it feel like HOME. Laughable, he thinks, but the heiress sighs in relief.
It was after she left Bulma decided to address things. "Well, I need to... Fill out some paper work, but Gohan, the guest's room is just to the right of Trunks'." She points to the door. "And ours is on the opposite side of it." She paused before continuing. "If you need anything, just shout." A grin was given to the boy.
While Gohan nodded and did his best to return a smile, he felt he couldn't be selfish to ever ask for a thing. Still... "B-Bulma."
"Yes?" Slender eyebrow rose to him.
Eyes are clenched shut, though he isn't entirely sure why. "T-Thank you."
"No problem, kid." Her smile widened just slightly. "Anyways, really, if you need anything." She soon added, "And I'll have someone bring you a few pair of spare clothes." The renowned genius hadn't even thought to grab anything before they left the Son household.
The door shut and Gohan was, for once, thankful for isolation. His strength was leaving him again. He wondered how he managed it all before. Walking seemed like an impossible task now as he approached the bed lifelessly. He was tired.
Sleep tended to be a rare thing in-between nightmares.
For the moment, though, Gohan didn't want to feel. He didn't want to think or dwell. He wanted sleep to carry him away, bad dreams or not. Some part of him, cruelly, also wished he wouldn't wake again.
He didn't bother to climb underneath covers, he practically fell into the mattress. Face buried into the pillow, hiding, crying again.
Oh, Kami, why had be been so stupid then?
No... He didn't deserve to pray, either. He couldn't pester god. Dende had better things to do than waste time on someone as worthless as him.
Gohan's mistakes were his own.
No one woke him. He roused on his own accord. What time was it?
An alarm clock, red eyes glaring at the youth, sat on a nightstand just across from him. 5:17 AM. No one would be awake but him... Surely not.
The boy groans and rolls over. He didn't feel like getting up, but something compelled him to.
Gohan sat up and slumped, as though tugged by strings.
Shower. He was certain he needed one. He looked around the room, searching, until eyes spotted the clothes he was promised. The boy willed himself to them. They were too big. It was then he realized they were Vegeta's garments. The hybrid wasn't going to complain.
A shower later, Gohan journeys to the kitchen. His stomach practically begged him for food now.
He stopped when he realized he wasn't alone. Vegeta was making coffee.
Gohan nervously offered a soft, "Good morning," to which the older saiyan didn't respond to. The man hadn't even bother to accept the younger saiyan's presence yet.
Fingers curled into the shirt then, and the hybrid decides to add, "T-Thanks for the clothes..." He awkwardly shifted on feet.
Finally, Vegeta looked at the boy. "Thank the woman." A sip of his drink. "They are disgusting to look at."
While Gohan uncomfortably laughed, he was unsure of what else to do or say. He was hungry, though, and the boy had to pass Vegeta to get to the fridge.
"What do you want?"
"I u-uh... Just wanted something to eat, sir." He felt he needed permission.
"I have a name, use it." The prince snorted. "We have been over this once before."
Gohan nodded and corrected himself. "Vegeta."
"Well, I'm not stopping you, am I? Go on. I don't care what you do." Eyes narrowed on the boy. "Just don't touch the sushi."
Gohan nervously bobbed his head once in response before warily walking to the fridge. He finds it nearly packed with leftovers and the food meant to brought over to his house... With a combination of both, near-full plate is tossed into the microwave.
It was then Bulma entered the kitchen next, yawning and stretching with a robe hanging around her form. She blinked at the two and smiled. "Mornin', boys." She scratched the back of her head. "Guess we're all early birds today, huh?"
Gohan, as he wanted for the food seeming to take forever, responded politely. "G-Good morning— u-um, t-thanks for the clothes."
"Huh? Oh yeah, no problem." She casted Vegeta a suspicious look. Bulma wasn't dumb and the saiyan should have known better. Stupid pride.
She returned her attention to the hybrid and frowned. "Do you want actual breakfast, Gohan? I mean, I can cook something up at least." In truth, she hadn't felt like cooking — her meals tended to be ALIVE again at that, somehow. For the kid, though, ( her kid now, Bulma supposes ), she would try.
"O-Oh— N-No, no. T-This is fine. Thank you, t-though." He never wanted to be an inconvenience.
The half-saiyan found he always was.
A beep resounds to crush what was an almost silence.
Gohan stared down at the plate of food he retrieved from the microwave. It wasn't his mom's cooking. They didn't even have a microwave oven in their home — and it wasn't just a matter of not being able to afford one. His mother found them silly and pointless. That, and they were certainly dangerous.
Still, the boy ate. He knew there were set sets of eyes watching him. Small smile, big bite.
All he needed to do was act this part — grin and lie about his happiness. That was what his life amounted to anyways, right?
This was just a another game of pretending.
I do not own Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, or Dragon Ball Super.
NOTES: This was a bit tricky, but here it is nonetheless. I will hopefully be getting up another chapter for "Change of Heart" later tonight too (or I'll start on it at the very least)! I will do my best to manage both stories. :D
MeganRouth: I am terrible, I know. xD And golly thanks! I'm super glad you liked it. Hope this chapter was just as good! Thank you for leaving a review. It means a ton! :)