~*Usual disclaimer I own no characters/universe mentioned in following etc etc*~
Thanks again anyone who's sticking with it.

Vegeta woke when the sunlight hit his face. He groaned and nestled into his pillow, freezing when it moved. It took him a moment to recall his surroundings before relaxing into Raditz's hold again. He stroked his companions knee and sighed, regretting it immediately when his back seized up from the awkward position he'd slept in. Involuntarily squeezing Raditz's knee hard, he grunted in pain and brought his legs up from the table, trying to relieve the tension in a rush.

Waking quickly, Raditz assessed what was happening and scooped the prince up, moving them away from the table and lay him on the floor, kneeling beside him.

Vegeta rasped a moan, struggling to keep his breathing under control as another set of spasms ran through his back. He started panicking, his breaths turning shallow and fast when the current pain wave didn't subside.

"Baka wake up!" Raditz called out when Vegetas body tensed up further in reaction to him hyperventilating.

Kakarott snorted as he woke, gazing around vaguely until he saw his brother on the ground next to Vegeta.

"What happened?"

"I think it's his back, his breathing won't settle and he can't relax, I don't know what to do."

"He's having a panic attack I think, keep talking to him and help me flip him over, we can try to work out some of the knots through his back." The youngest ordered with none of his usual lightness.

"It'll hurt him." Raditz hesitated, watching the princes face pinch and wince in pain.

"Not as much as the state he's in now." Was the growled response.

"Alright let's do it." The warrior said, helping his brother roll him onto his stomach, gritting him teeth and trying to ignore the yelp it dragged from the prince.

"Talk to him, we need him to calm down." Kakarott told Raditz firmly, starting to manipulate Vegetas neck and shoulder muscles.

Raditz rubbed his thumbs across the lower back, the shallow breaths and groans of discomfort making him stop and lift his hands.

"Talk to him Raditz, now." Kakarott refocused him.

"'Geta we need you to settle your breathing, it's gonna be ok." The warrior continued working on his back.

The princes breathing changed from a rapid inhale-exhale pattern to a double inhale and slow exhale. Reassured by the improvement, the youngest encouraged his brother, "Keep going."

Raditz continued trying to comfort Vegeta out loud, making progress with the muscle groups through his back quickly.

A few minutes of this saw the princes tightly gripped hands unclench and his breathing finally even out. Raditz sat back and rested his weight on his heels, relieved they'd gotten him through it.

Hearing a weak groan when Kakarott spoke to him, Raditz moved to Vegetas head and brushed a hand through his hair. "''Geta?"

"Ugh." The prince grimaced and pushed himself up slowly to his knees, bracing himself on the floor.

"Hey there he is. You had us worried." Kakarott crossed his legs and sat back too.

Looking up to meet Raditz's concerned eyes, he muttered, "I'm fine."

"You had a panic attack and your back seized up." Kakarott filled him in before Raditz could say anything.

"Are you sure? That's never happened before."

The youngest nodded. "Goten's had them a few times. Me and Trunks are the only ones who can talk him down and get him back to himself."

"But what set it off? I don't panic…" Vegeta said unconvincingly.

"Your back I think, it went into spasm and didn't stop I guess."

"Your muscles are worse than yesterday." Raditz agreed with his brother and stood, offering his hand to the prince to help him upright. Once Vegeta was standing the warrior was reluctant to let go of his elbow, fearing he would fall.

"I'm fine." The prince removed his arm from his companions grip and steadying himself on the couch before heading for the stairs.

"Fuck." Raditz muttered to himself, slumping on to the couch and burying his face in his hands.

"You did great Raditz, it's a shock seeing a panic attack for the first time." Kakarott took a seat beside him, trying to comfort him.

"I didn't know what to do, or how to help." Raditz rubbed at his eyes in frustration.

"I was the same."

"Should I go check on him?"

"No. Knowing Vegeta he's probably embarrassed about being so vulnerable. Give him some time."

Nodding dully, Raditz rose and went to the kitchen.

Once he'd fed himself and Kakarott with pancakes, he took a plate up to Vegeta, knocking softly before entering. He found the prince with his face buried in his hands, leaning his back against the headboard with his legs crossed.

"Brought you some food."

"Not hungry."

Ignoring the grumbled reply he made his way to the bed and sat next to his companion. "Stiff shit. Have some of these."

Vegeta rolled his eyes and devoured one in seconds.

"Happy? You can go now." The prince crossed his arms and leaned his head back.

"Nup, I said some, not one." The taller Saiyan grinned and nudged Vegeta over so he could lean against the bed head too.

Begrudgingly taking the plate, the prince sighed before hoeing into the food, trying to pace himself and not make it obvious how hungry he was.

"It really took it out of you didn't it." Raditz focused on his hands, playing with his thumbs and purposely not making eye contact. Filling the silence that followed he added, "How's your back now?"

"Still sore." Vegeta muttered once he'd finished his mouthful. "Not as bad as earlier."

"I should've woken you to get you to bed, I'm sorry." The warrior frowned, picking at his nails in frustration.

"It's not your fault."

"You wouldn't have a sore back if I'd woken you."

"You don't know that." The growl was final.

Sighing and stretching before hooking his arms behind his head, Raditz closed his eyes, not wanting to get into an argument.

Finishing the food and putting the plate on the bedside table, Vegeta groaned and stretched his back side to side "I'm gonna have a nap."

"Mhm, me too."

Raising an eyebrow and looking at his companion from the corner of his eye, the prince said, "You have a perfectly good bed of your own you know."

"Mhm."Raditz didn't open his eyes, extending his legs before letting them relax and get comfortable.

"You gonna go to your bed?"

A shake of the head was all he got, making Vegeta snuff a laugh and shake his own head before sighing again and laying down.

After a few minutes of silence and shuffling around trying to find the right spot on the bed, he growled a sigh to himself and rubbed at his eyes in frustration.

"You alright?" Raditz had opened an eye to check on him.

"I'm fine, shut up."

The larger Saiyan shrugged and closed his eye, appearing to doze off quickly.

Frowning at the ceiling, the prince fidgeted a few minutes more before giving up and deciding to annoy Raditz to distract himself. Poking the warriors ribs, he was satisfied with the response he got.

"Ah! What the shit Vegeta!" Raditz flung his hands down to protect his sides.

Vegeta chuckled and rolled to face his companion, resting his head on his left hand.

"Thought you were taking a nap." Raditz mirrored his position.

"Couldn't sleep."

"You didn't try."

"I did."

The frown and averted gaze told the taller Saiyan that Vegeta wasn't sure he really had. Pondering a moment and studying his tired face, Raditz scratched at his head. He reached his left hand out and rubbed his shoulder, shuffling closer before resting it across his hip. Speaking quietly he asked, "What's up?"

Meeting his companions concerned gaze, the prince shifted towards him and answered, "Not used to my body doing things I don't control I guess."

Nodding and absently stroking his thumb across the younger Saiyans side, Raditz exhaled calmly, trying to make him feel more at ease before replying.

"You've been through a lot 'Geta, I'd be more worried if it hadn't taken a toll on you and your body."

The prince scrunched his face up and glared at the fabric of the pillow, growling, "I'm supposed to be invincible, but since I was a kid it's just been one shit storm after another."

Raditz nodded and continued rubbing his hand across Vegetas side, not wanting to interrupt him now he was opening up.

"My father always told me I had to pretend everything was ok, even if we were being beaten to death, or someone we cared about was about to die, it was my job to stay strong." Vegeta moved closer to his companion so he could rest his forehead against Raditz's chest. "I just don't understand how I've upheld my fathers wishes for so long and it's only now my body is letting me down."

Smiling grimly and tracing his hand up and down his princes back, Raditz tried to comfort him, "A worn out man of your strength and pride only shows to me that you've been too strong for too long."

"All for nothing apparently." Vegeta mumbled into his chest, settling his free hand on Raditz'selbow.

"Hey." The warrior frowned down at him, taking his hand from his back and cupping the princes jaw to make him meet his gaze. "You've been through more than anyone on this planet could stand. You're entitled to have a low point."

"Points." Vegeta grinned a little, stroking his thumb across Raditz's forearm.

"Points." Raditz relented with a smile, releasing the princes cheek and putting it back on his hip, drawing him nearer and sighing. "Thing is we aren't built to handle anything we've been through alone. Saiyans are pack animals, we're part ape for fucks sake."

That drew a chuckle from the prince, who squirmed closer and rested his head on the warriors shoulder, grabbing his singlet in both hands.

Shifting his right arm from beneath his chin, Raditz carefully manoeuvred it around Vegetas shoulders so he was wrapped in an embrace, resisting the urge to grope his ass, not wanting to disturb the peace.

"Hn." Vegeta grunted softly, already half asleep.

Sighing again and nuzzling the princes hair, Raditz closed his eyes and relaxed. Enjoying the body heat and contact with his prince, he fell asleep almost immediately.