TITLE: What Counts

AUTHOR: Teari

PAIRING (if applicable): none

RATING: PG/PG 13(?)

WARNINGS: POV from: Yamcha
Vegeta
Trunks




I think I went a little ooc on Vegeta...well, he's
really… in tune with his feelings at this point. I
kinda don't see that as being IC for him.


Just my opinions on that.

NOTES: This story takes place during the Android Saga,
when Mari Trunks comes to help the Z senshi. This also
takes place after the time Vegeta and Mari Trunks
spent in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
ARCHIVE: I'll be putting it up at Fanfiction.net
soon...my other fic (the untitled songfic is there as
well, only I finally found a name for it. It's called
"Don't Go.")is there as well. Under Teari. Also-I
want to thank my Betas, Mara and Kichi-I'm so sorry I
didn't get the fic I wanted to send out to you guys
sent, but this demanded that I write it first! Thanks
for Betaing for me.

I owe you.


DISCLAMERS: I don't own DBZ. I do own a crappy car,
and if you sue me, you will get that, and a really
crappy fast food job.
I am in no way making any profit off of this. If I
were, I'd be in the Caribbean. Or shopping.
Please, don't sue. You will only regret it, as I have
nothing you want.



SUMMARY: There are some things that can't be said. And
then there are those people who can say these things,
but don't. This story focuses on something that can't
be said-from the perspectives of Yamcha, Trunks, and
Vegeta.


~Thoughts~



Vegeta's POV
"Who are you?!"
Your voice is full of anger. And I lower my head. I
know you know the answer...yet it seems the question
burns in my ears. So, it seems I must answer...but I
don't quite know how to answer it. You know who I am.
Yet, it seems you refuse to acknowledge that. And your
eyes...so much like your mother's. And right now, they
remind me of her.
Demanding to be answered. Purposely playing dumb. So,
I smirk and give the only answer I can.
"You know who I am."
~Do you even have any idea on how true that is?~


Trunk's POV
I look at my father. Even after spending one year
with him...I still don't know him. Not one bit. He was
every bit as callous, cruel, and an enigma as Mother
and Gohan said he was. Yet, he answered my question.
In his own way. ~Why can't he just give me a straight
answer for once! ~
"Do I?" I ask, angrily. ~Why is he saying that! I
have no clue as to who he is...it's not like he's been
in my life-he's dead where I come from! ~ Yet, I
know-or at least, Mother said she knew- that he loved
me. How, I so badly wanted to ask her. But I knew she
would never answer me.


Vegeta's POV
When you spoke that last time, your words were harsh
and cold. I image that tone must sound like my own.
And I see your eyes narrow unconsciously. It seems you
are preparing yourself. But are you preparing yourself
for something or against it? I shake my head. It's
still lowered, but I know you don't notice.
~I wish he would stop playing dumb. He knows who I am.
He must. Did that time in that blasted room mean
nothing?! Kakerrot...if it meant nothing to him I'll
kill you for sure.~
"Yes." My voice is quiet.
But I have said all I need to. I can see you want
more...there is a question in your eyes that I see. I
let out a small growl; that question is one you will
never ask. Just as your mother has never asked it, nor
in truth, do I expect her to. It may be one day she
will expect an answer. I only hope I can answer her
question. ~Especially since I'm not sure if I can.
Baka woman. She doesn't ask outloud anyway...but it is
always there. So there is a type of understanding...it
shows in her eyes.~
I raise my head. You have not said anything...and I
begin to wonder if your eyes show that understanding
your mother's do. ~I hope so. I....~


Trunk's POV
I can't say anything. I look at your face...and it
seems impassive. Cold. Any signs of warmth that were
there-that I gained from the Time Chamber, gone. I can
almost convince myself that they were never there.
Almost. Yet, I see the strange look in your eye and I
want to understand it. ~Almost like you are looking
for something. They are so...dark. And yet, strangely
empty. Like Mother's...only intensified somehow. As if
there's...more.~
"I know who you are?" I ask. It is what I consider to
be my 'reasonable voice'. It is very...remote to my
ears, and from the way my father picks up I know he
noticed. Mother laughs at it and says I sound like my
father.


Vegeta's POV
I raise my eyebrow. ~That boy...he's beginning to
sound like me. I suppose I shouldn't be so surprised.
He is my son. ~
Yet...your words are cold. As if you are trying to
make sure you know the question before you answer it.
I suppress an urge to sigh, although I really want to
beat your brains in. ~ You know this! The question,
the answer...why must you continue with this type of
mindless questioning?! It must be those human genes of
yours. DAMN IT! You are acting too much like Bulma! ~
"Yes. You do."


Trunk's POV
I am surprised. You spoke as if you were explaining
something to Yamcha. He's the only one I've ever heard
you use that short of a voice with. It's almost as if
you were trying to NOT say something. ~ Mother...when
I get home, you and I are going to have to talk. If
this is Father's way of talking, I think I prefer your
method-I feel as if I'm going to go to pieces! Why
won't he say it? What keeps him from saying what I
want him to say to me...to you? ~
Yet, I do the only option I can. ~ He won't say it
unless pushed. I have to hear him say it...it means so
much to me; and it would mean even more to you. Here
goes nothing. ~
"Why?" I ask. I see your face start to contort...and
at first, I thought you were in pain, but it soon
changed into laughter. A dry, chuckle-like
laughter...but laughter nonetheless.


Yamcha's POV
I hear laughter. Little do Trunks and Vegeta know
I've been listing...well, I'm pretty sure Vegeta
knows. I've never seen anyone but Bulma (or Goku)
even try to eavesdrop on Vegeta. ~ And both did it by
accident. ~ I snort.
~ I still wonder how he did it...he made her love
him. I could never do that. For starters, I couldn't
compete with her inventions, or keep her from thinking
about them.~ Besides, It's not like I don't love her-I
do. She just wasn't IN love with me. And here was
their son, asking Vegeta a simple question.
~But it's not so simple. He's just not asking who
Vegeta is...Trunks is asking if he's man enough to
admit that he loves Bulma and himself. He's asking
only to prove to himself that his father wanted him
and her. ~
"I don't understand! Why are you laughing? Can't you
see that this is important?!" Trunks yells. I wince.
He sounds exactly like his father. But he looks like
his mother.
~ He could have been mine, Bulma. He should have been
mine. Then he wouldn't be asking if his father loved
him or you. He'd know. ~
"Boy, I'm laughing because you are trying to get me
to say something that woman wants to hear." Vegeta's
voice is...warm, friendly almost.
"And don't I count?" Trunks counters. I can feel his
ki rising. He's mad, but, strangely enough, Vegeta's
ki hasn't moved.
"Yes. You count. And so does she, boy." Vegeta says
this quietly, as if he is afraid that if he says it
too loudly, it won't be true.
~ Like he's trying not to jinx himself...~
Vegeta turns and leaves. Trunks is still there...
shaking his head. "What just happened, Yamcha?" He
asks me after his father had left.
"You sensed me?" Somehow, I'm not surprised.
Trunks shook his head. "No. I saw you." He smiles.
I scratch my head. "Well, Trunks, if I had to guess,
I'd say that Vegeta just told you that he cares."