Potatoes again. Goku stared down at the pile of mashed potatoes on his plate, the gravy alone enough to make him queasy. There was meat… probably the small dinosaur Raditz had killed a day or two before. He'd learned the hard way though, if he didn't eat it when served, Raditz would sit on the bed and feed him. He didn't want that. He picked the spoon up, forced his mouth open, trying not to gag on the tiny bite he took. I'm tired of potatoes. And I'm not hungry. I just want… His eyes turned back to the window, his mind dismissing the food and the others in the room.

Raditz noticed, a wrinkle of concern forming on his brow. "Kakarot?" He crossed to his brother, removing the spoon from a hand still suspended. With a tiny sigh, he removed the tray, as well, setting it to the other side of the bed. "Kakarot?"

"What is wrong with him?" Vegeta asked as Raditz lowered his brother's hand back to his lap.

"I don't know."

"You said there were several reasons," Vegeta pointed out, crossing his arms, his foot tapping impatiently.

"Well, his wife died," Raditz said. "And they were in debt, she was the one making payments on the bills. I've seen their records, he's been trying, but getting nowhere. I haven't gotten anywhere," he added in frustration. "I finally figured out what one of the entries meant, and have managed to helpa little by keeping that person supplied, but it just hasn't been enough."

"Money and a dead woman caused that?" Vegeta snorted, pointing at the vacant-eyed Goku. "I don't think so."

"Hey, you're supposed to be eating," Raditz said quietly, prodding his brother. "Do I need to feed you?"

Dark eyes closed, the head turning ever so slowly to indicated negation. Raditz removed himself from the bed, replacing the tray. "Then eat. Don't make me come back over here and feed you!" His attempt at a jocular tone fell flat, but his brother managed a feeble smile anyway. Slowly, another tiny bite made its way into the mouth, and the watchers saw his jaw clench as he fought it down.

"Raditz, I want to see those records."

"Of course, Vegeta."

"Just how the hell did they manage to do this?" Vegeta stared, incredulous, at the amount of the debt just to the grocer. "That huge garden, and I know he and the boys were always hunting or fishing… what did they buy?"

"Sugar, flour, salt… spices, stuff like that," Raditz answered. "We've been doing without, as much as possible. I've been keeping meat in the house… the dinosaurs and fish are ridiculously easy to catch. But I don't know anything about gardening except what he told me. Besides, I hate vegetables."

"Baka!" Vegeta walloped Raditz upside the head, earning a pained yelp.

"Not you!" Raditz complained, rubbing the side of his head. "I meant the kind you eat! Ow! Oh, all right, the kind technically described as foodstuffs, is that better?"

"No," Vegeta snorted, a slight grin indicating otherwise. "But if money and a dead woman are all that's causing so much stupidity, I think we can cure both problems."

"Huh?"

"You're turning human on me, Raditz," Vegeta growled. "I'll pay the damned bills. And we…" his eyes lit with a savage passion as his tail snaked around the other's thigh and stroked, "we will teach him there is still something to live for."

Raditz purred, his own tail loosening from his waist to wriggle under the prince's shirt. He didn't mind in the least to have the frilly pink apron removed, but the hair bows were something else. "OUCH! Here, I'll do that!"

Vegeta took full advantage of him while he was occupied in not yanking his own hair out. His tail coiled with Raditz', circling the base and sliding slowly along the silken, writhing length of it. His hands slid under Raditz' shirt, stroking and teasing rippling flesh and taut nipples. Raditz let out a yelp, sensitive skin quivering at the skillful handling. Abandoning the ribbons, he reached for the teasing, taunting royal.

The prince deftly avoided the reaching hands, circling behind Raditz in a lightening fast move. "No, no," he chuckled. "You were supposed to set your hair free for me."

Raditz growl at the words faded to a desperate purr as his prince's hand dipped below his waistband, running familiarly over the cloth separating their skin, the prince grinding against his backside as he tormented the larger man. "Vegeta…" He flicked his head, the waterfall of captured hair falling over his shoulder where he could get at the damned ribbons that kept him from heaven.

He yanked and tugged, angry fingers working frenziedly to undo the knots in the two ribbons that were left. Finally, several frantic jerks broke the knots - the sharp pain of pulled hair a contrast to Vegeta's delicate, whispering touches - and the mass fell loose, completely hiding the smaller prince. A rumble of discontent at the sudden smothering was punctuated by a stinging pinch applied to his tail. Raditz dropped to his knees.