A/N: Yup, so Goku is more dark in this than what he shows in DBZ. I watched the Baby saga last night and it was pretty good. It definitely made me want to write an SS4 Goku fic, maybe with Pan instead of Videl. And I've been getting some feedback saying Gohan is mean. I don't think of him as "mean" per se, just stressed out and worried about his wife. Saiyans seem to have poor control when they get angry from what I've seen in the anime, too. He's never going to be physically violent to Videl, but I thought a minor freak-out was justified.

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or anything affiliated with it.

-MalRev

Neglected

10: Planting A Thought

"Trunks moved out a few weeks ago since I made him the big CEO of Capsule Corp, and his bedroom has been sitting empty. Vegeta can go back to the house and pick up some other things if you need them, but there's furniture and a television. Hopefully everything works out with you and Gohan."

Bulma was leading me through the house toward my room for the next week, trying to be nonchalant. I knew she wanted to know if anything had happened between Goku and I. It was written all over her face. When we arrived at the bedroom on the second floor, I thanked her and entered to start putting my clothes away in the dresser. She stood at the door for a few seconds before giving up on getting any new drama out of me. Relieved, I shut it and turned to the task at hand.

Across the room stood Vegeta, leaning against the wall with his eyes closed. A shriek of surprise left my lips before I could think and he irately shushed me. I hurriedly covered my mouth and stared at him until he finally started to show signs of movement. Why was he always sneaking up on me? It was like the man could turn totally invisible and dissipate into thin air. Yet his ki signal was so strong even I, a lowly human, could pick it up miles away. Saiyans were no good.

Vegeta watched me putting my things away for a few minutes. "So you and Kakorot had fun last night? Good, because it's time for you to make a choice, woman."

"For Pete's sake, stop beating around the bush. Why do I have to make a decision? Goku said it's okay with him if I stay married to Gohan." I slapped a hand over my mouth and my eyes bulged. What was I saying? Did those words really come out of my throat?

"Listen to yourself. You're already under Kakorot's spell and he's only had you once. I've warned you before about his selfish desires and you chose to ignore me. He says one thing and means another. Shouldn't you know that by now? If you don't make a choice, Kakorot will make it for you."

"It's never happening again so you can back off and mind your own business."

"Oh really? Because if my sense are as keen as I believe, Kakorot will be here in a few minutes." Vegeta shrugged off the wall and pulled back the curtains. "Might as well move these so he doesn't tear them to shreds in one of his poorly executed landings."

Annoyed, I walked back to my suit case and unpacked a few more articles of clothing, folding them into neat squares before adding them to Trunks's old dresser. Goku wouldn't be showing up to Bulma's house so soon after I had moved in. We had just split up earlier in the morning and he promised to come back later on so I could finish getting my things organized. Besides, I wasn't ready for passionate lovemaking again. Wait, what was I thinking! Passionate? I was in an affair, not—

"He's here," Vegeta said without opening his eyes.

A gust of wind that threw all my carefully folded clothes on the floor announced the appearance of Goku. He perched on the windowsill like a cat and cocked his head, acting as innocent as ever. His orange training uniform was on, suggesting he had visited to provoke Vegeta into fighting rather than smooth talking his way into my pants again. I flushed pink and didn't meet his penetrating gaze.

Goku took a hop inside the room and looked around with a smile on his face. "Huh, I didn't think Gohan would want you staying here. Why not come to Chichi's?"

"Honestly Kakorot, does your stupidity know no bounds? You can wash your scent off her but your son can still tell you're obsessed with her. Would you want Chichi sleeping in a house with a man who wants to steal her away from you?" Vegeta threw one of my shirts on the bed and scowled.

"Well I don't care what Chichi does," he said. "Videl and I are good friends now. Isn't that right?"

The beaming grin on his face turned in my direction and I irately shook my head, swiping various things off the plush carpet. If he thought I would fall for his innocent act, he had another thing coming. I had seen what was underneath the childish exterior Goku wore; a possessive, yet well-meaning man who had been thrown into his role as Earth's savior. His demeanor gave him an escape from the trials and tribulations his day-to-day life carried.

Both Saiyans sat on the bed side by side while I put my possessions away. Goku tapped his chin thoughtfully and Vegeta just sat there silently, eyes furrowed together in an aggravated line. We were all quiet for five minutes and the Saiyan prince grew steadily more impatient. His eyebrow started twitching when Goku began helping me fold my clothes.

"WILL YOU TWO TALK!" he barked.

"Why? Goku and I have already talked about this," I said.

"Not that you silly woman; talk about mating! Stop pretending nothing is happening, Kakorot!" Vegeta grabbed Goku by the collar of his shirt and growled. "You've already started the process without asking the woman's permission. Are you doing it gradually so she doesn't notice? How unbecoming of a Saiyan warrior. If a man wants something, he should be direct."

"What process?" I asked, whirling around to glare at Goku. "Was that why you wanted to bite me?"

Goku rubbed his nose. "Maybe."

"Kakorot will sink his fangs into your neck which will eternally bind you. Your coupling has already started drawing you to him. It puts new thoughts in your mind and soon you will forget your husband. But don't worry, Kakorot wouldn't even hurt a fly."

My hands darted up to cover my throat. It was a good thing I didn't allow Goku to bite me the night before because I was already feeling the pull Vegeta mentioned. Before I had been able to forget about him and think of Gohan, but now… it was like he had planted a seed in my mind that was growing around my brain. Even the revelation that he was slowly forcing me into a bond only seemed vaguely rude and inconvenient. I couldn't bring myself to feel angry. Wasn't it what I wanted?

No, I was married to Gohan. I wanted my wonderful, intelligent husband to come home and kiss me chastely on the cheek. He ignored me all night when he came home from work, but it was part of being an adult. I didn't resent him for doing the best he could for Pan and I. Gohan was a stable, loyal man who had been raised to treat people with respect. We argued like any other couple.

My lack of a heated response made Vegeta roll his eyes. "Pathetic."

"Well I did give her the choice," Goku said, affronted by Vegeta's insinuations. "And she still has her free will. All I'm doing is helping my case along."

"It's brainwashing under a different label!" I snapped.

"You're married to Gohan so I need some leverage, too." Goku's eyes fell upon my wedding band and narrowed dangerously. "There's nothing wrong with a little father-son rivalry."

"This isn't a game. We're all a family; connected. You can't disturb that over a whim."

"She's right," Vegeta said, content with the disagreement he had started. "Our Saiyan traditions will disturb the Earthlings. You've already agreed to a commitment with your fiendish wife. Are you willing to upset the human's delicate balance over this woman?"

Goku pursed his lips and nodded, still glaring at the thin gold band around my ring finger. We had known each other for well over fourteen years and he never showed interest in me until now. Then again, his marriage to Chichi had been slowly disintegrating over that time and was reaching the breaking point. The protector of the world was finally doing something for himself instead of others.

I finished unpacking and stowed my suitcase under the bed, expecting Vegeta and Goku to leave. They were both leaning back and gently breathing as if they had fallen asleep. Bulma wouldn't find it off that two grown men had chosen to take a nap in my bedroom. No, she'd be perfectly fine with her husband snoozing next to Goku while I was standing away to stare at them. Kami, why me? The Saiyans had been no issue in my life until recently.

It was weird seeing the two bulky warriors fast asleep as if they didn't have a care in the world. Making them wake up suddenly seemed rude and unnecessary. I could just leave and act like I didn't notice. Didn't they deserve some rest, anyway? Goku was probably tired from arguing with Chichi and Vegeta was always pushing himself in training so he was constantly exhausted.

Goku's eyes flew open and he leapt out of bed in a fighting stance, looking around wildly. This woke Vegeta up and he stretched before bitingly telling his friend that Chichi was still far off. I furrowed my brow when Goku placed two fingers to his forehead, using instant transmission to teleport. That was an abrupt escape. They'd been relaxing to the point of sleeping a few minutes ago. Was he really that afraid of his own wife's wrath? Chichi was tiny.

"The fiend's ki is spiking," Vegeta said, rising from the bed. He crossed his arms immediately and I sourly wondered if magnets pulled his hands to his elbows. "The woman will be here soon to chastise him and become angrier when she realizes he's gone."

"Wait," I said when he walked to the window. "What's happening to me?"

Vegeta sat on the windowsill and dangled his legs off the other side. I couldn't see his expression, but I just knew he was smirking to himself. "I already told you, woman. Kakorot is obsessed. If you don't make a choice soon, he'll make it for you. And that involves much worse things than a divorce."

Before I could say anything more, the Saiyan prince leapt from the window and flew off into the distance. Experience taught me I had no chance of catching up with him. I'd tried to keep up with Gohan in flight and ended up turning back because I slowed him down. Watching Vegeta vanish in a speck of light made me wish I knew how to focus my energy to that degree. I sat on the big bed and drew my knees up, terrified of the new Goku. What had I done?

Reviews/comments/questions

super saiyan 4 chichi- I already messaged you, but thought you deserved an honorable mention here. You left a ton of amazing comments and inspired me to write this chapter along with the next one I'm already cooking up. I really appreciate the thought you put into your review!