It's funny how quickly a week can pass, even if you haven't got that much to do. But our stay in the Lookout goes past a few days, and all of a sudden it's been a week, and Kakarot and I are starting to get irritable, snapping at each other like restless dogs. I know it's because we're missing someone. Vegeta should be here, and we both feel the emptiness in our heads where he's supposed to be.

I have to admit, I expected him to maybe show up before now. After all, we haven't been hiding where we are or anything. Wistfully, I wonder if our prince is just as irritable. But how would anyone be able to tell? I snicker to myself at the thought of Vegeta being even more of a pain in the ass than usual. But it's definitely time to return to Earth and our unfinished business.

~Finally!~ Kakarot agrees.

Not that the last week hasn't been…well, fun. Kakarot and I have spent almost all of our time training, often with Piccolo joining in. With that kind of focused attention, I've felt myself getting stronger faster than I ever imagined possible. Not that I'm anywhere near a match for Kakarot or Vegeta, but I know I'm the strongest I've ever been. I can beat Piccolo pretty consistently and my body just sings to me now. Fighting every day: it's been wonderful. Almost like being home again.

~Kakarot, with you at Vegeta's side, the Saiyans could have taken over all of Frieza's empire, expanded it, even,~ I think to my brother, off somewhere talking with Dende. I can feel his amused assent through our bond, though he doesn't really understand why anyone would want to have their own empire. That's okay, I think Vegeta has enough ambition for all of us put together.

More and more frequently the past week, Kakarot and I have found each other following the other's thoughts almost unconsciously, whether we're doing something else or not. Kakarot is like a running commentary in the back of my mind, sometimes distracting, but mostly comforting. It's nice to be able to tap into that whenever, and I know he does the same.

It's solved some mysteries for me, too. I still don't fully understand the way my brother thinks; I'm not sure I ever will. We're too different in some fundamental ways. But at least I know now whether that whole naivete thing is an act or not. Not surprisingly, the answer is more complicated than I expected.

Kakarot is far from stupid. He has a quick mind, quicker than mine in some ways. But it's also a little unfocused: my brother is a creature of impulse. He tends to jump from thought to thought, rarely actually analyzing anything, or even thinking it through fully. If it sounds like a good idea to him, then it's a good idea, and he's ready to act on it. Luckily, he has good instincts, and is often right, but still, it can lead to some startling mistakes.

He is a little bit ignorant when it comes to social interactions. He spent so much of his childhood mostly alone, or with only one or two other people - it left him a little behind the game when it comes to some of the complexities of life. Then he lived out in the woods with only his wife and son. He's not always the best judge of what people mean, and sometimes misses the subtleties of conversation. It's not so much that he's stupid, simply that he's used to interpreting whatever anyone says in the most straightforward possible manner.

He's also an eternal optimist, not much given to depression or despair. I always was the brooder in our family, got that from our mother. Kakarot, on the other hand, has a tendency to overestimate both others' abilities and the possible outcome of situations. I remember Gohan telling me about the time Kakarot took his own sweet time returning to Earth when Frieza was headed there because he thought it would be nice for everyone else to have a chance to fight him.

~Well, it would have been!~ Kakarot interrupts me somewhat indignantly, and I send a wave of affection his way as I throw the rest of my clothes haphazardly in my duffel bag. He snorts back, mentally waving at me to go away.

That optimism has affected our training as well. Three or four times over the course of the week, Kakarot has misjudged my ability to handle some attack or other, most frequently when he insisted on training with him when he was in Super Saiyan mode. Most of the time, I merely ended up severely injured and coughing blood in agony. Once I was completely knocked out and nearly died. Dende stepped in patiently each and every time and healed me.

Third time around I got really pissed off at Kakarot. "Look, I don't mind getting the shit kicked out of me. At least I'm learning something here. But fuck! I'm tired of swallowing my teeth!"

He had simply shook his head, and said nothing. I could feel through our bond that while he regretted causing me that kind of pain, he felt its usefulness outweighed the negatives. I had to sigh, and simply accept his judgement. If he thought it was good for me to be battered senseless every now and then, then he was probably right. I paid him back for it every night, though…

I can feel Kakarot flush heatedly through our bond, and I grin at him, deliberately remembering several choice images from our nights together: Kakarot on his back and screaming under my mouth, him licking the come from his lips like sweet cream, devouring each other hungrily behind a beaded curtain while Dende waited patiently, unaware of what we were doing.

~We need to go,~ he reminds me with a sigh, and I have to agree. The only thing that could make this better is Vegeta. Hell, the only thing that can make this right is Vegeta. There's been a subtle sense of offness pervading the week, regardless of the good time. Kakarot and I both know it. Vegeta's had long enough to hide. I swing our bags over my shoulder, and head out to find Kakarot.

He and Dende are speaking quietly together in one of the innumerable gardens in the Lookout. Dende smiles at me sweetly as I approach, but Kakarot doesn't turn, simply waving his tail in greeting. I wind it around my knuckles briefly.

"Ready?" I ask, verbally in deference to the Namek. Kakarot nods, holding out his hand as I drop his bag into it neatly.

"Mmhmm. Dende, thank you so much for your hospitality," he says to our host, bowing his head respectfully.

"Yeah, thanks a lot," I add more casually. "Nice place you got here."

Dende smiles serenely taking one of my and Kakarot's hands in his and squeezing them gently. "You are both always welcome here," he assures us. "I wish you good luck on your endeavors with Vegeta. I will be watching with interest."

I raise an eyebrow at that, but Kakarot doesn't seem surprised by the last comment at all, so I shrug it off. "Well, see ya, Dende," I conclude, and Kakarot chimes in.

"Goodbye!" Wrapping our tails together, Kakarot does that touch-his-forehead thing, and all of a sudden we're standing outside of Capsule Corps. I love that little trick. Wonder if I can learn it?

~Ready?~ he asks, and I feel his nervousness.

~Just a sec.~ I eye him critically. He just wanted to wear his usual gi, but I convinced him that if we were seriously trying to court Vegeta, we should look our best. For him, this means a pair of snug, faded blue jeans - tight enough to show off his legs and ass, but not indecently so – a form fitting tank top in white, and a loose silk shirt in a rich indigo over the whole thing, unbuttoned. Kakarot always looks good in blue, something to do with that creamy skin, I guess. His hair is the usual array of wild spikes, but I think it lends something his charm, personally.

For me, it means a matching pair of jeans in black, and a sleeveless, silk, high-collared shirt in dark crimson. As much as I love the leather and mesh of that night I took the boys clubbing, it's far too aggressive. I don't want to emphasize the whole I-bit-you-first thing, not today. This is going to take a careful touch, and I hope to all the Gods that me and Kakarot are up to it.

~Yeah, you look good,~ I conclude to my brother, and he smiles brilliantly at me.

~You, too. So Vegeta should know we're here now, right?~ I nod, and he looks over at the still silent building, taking a deep breath. ~Well, he isn't coming out to us. I guess we go in to him, huh?~

~Yeah. Let's do it.~

I lean against the doorframe as Kakarot rings the bell. I can hear the cheerful bonging echoing throughout the house, and we wait. And wait. Gods damn it, Vegeta knows we're here…he's just fucking with us. Gods, but he can be such an asshole sometimes. I'm about to raise my fist to knock when the door opens.

Trunks. Oh great, just what I need now. He regards me and Kakarot curiously, eyes flicking over us inscrutably. He looks…uncomfortable? Yeah, well, considering the last time I saw him…

"Is your dad here, Trunks?" Kakarot asks politely.

"Yeah, he's in the gravity chamber," the boy answers automatically. "But I'm not sure he wants to see you…or that you want to see him." Trunks drops his voice, as though he's worried his father can hear him from all the way across the house. "Um, he's been pretty…uh, grumpy, lately."

As he's talking, I see Trunks shuffle his feet somewhat restlessly, his head tipping back as he sniffs the air, unconsciously I think. What the hell is he doing? Then I remember…new tail. As if in response my thought, I see a flicker of black behind him. Funny, I thought he might have a lilac tail, like his hair. Or at least brown, like most Saiyans. Black fur is pretty rare.

"Oh, that's alright," Kakarot continues pleasantly. "He won't mind."

"Are you sure?" Trunks asks. "I mean, he's been kind of…well, he hasn't sounded too happy about the two of you, ever since he came back. What happened?" Before my brother can answer, Trunks frowns. "What is that smell? It's like…" He trails off, blushing suddenly.

Kakarot ignores the last little outburst, but I watch the boy's new tail flicker in agitation behind him. Heh. He didn't have his tail when he was going through puberty, did he? He must be feeling hypersensitive to everything, especially the scent of two mature Saiyan males who have been sexually active in the past 24 hours. Very deliberately, I snake my tail through the air, releasing a nice smattering of pheromones.

Kakarot's saying something vague about our time out in the woods, not really lying, he's not good at that, but then Trunks isn't really paying attention. I can see his fists clench as he bites down into his lower lip, his nostrils wide and almost panicked. Serves the little shit right. I cross my arms over my broad chest, and raise one eyebrow at him.

"So, you gonna let us in or what, kid?" I ask in a deliberately insulting drawl. He backs up a step automatically, then stops, irritated. He finally actually looks at me, and I can see the mixture of annoyance, lust, and guilt in his eyes. Yeah, you better feel guilty, you little cocktease.

I step through the door, shouldering past him, and 'accidentally' smack him in the face with my tail. He gasps as I shoot a lazy glance over my shoulder at my brother. "Coming, Kakarot?" I invite, and my brother follows me, glancing down at Trunks curiously. He knows what happened between us, but has agreed to keep quiet about it, after a lot of persuasion on my part.

As he passes Trunks, he stops suddenly, darting his hand out quickly and catching Trunks' length of soft ebon between his fingers. Slowly, he runs his fingers through the fur, addressing the boy in that clear, cheerful voice he always uses, as though he hasn't clue what touching another Saiyan's tail will do.

"Oh, I almost forgot about the wishes! You got your tail back, too, Trunks, how great!" He winds the tail through his fingers sensually as he continues, "Black, too! I thought maybe yours might be the same red-brown as your dad's."

Trunks stands there, his spine completely straight with his back to us. I can smell blood as his fingernails bite neat crescents into his palm. Finally relenting, Kakarot releases his tail with a chirpy, "Well, see you around, Trunks!"

~You son of a bitch!~ I send in admiration to my brother as we make our way through the endless white halls. ~That was really cruel! That boy is going to be going crazy with no one around to screw, now.~

~Yeah, well , he shouldn't have touched you,~ Kakarot sends back smugly, and I laugh, swinging an arm around his shoulders.

~You're more of a bastard than I gave you credit for,~ I admit ruefully. I guess I'm still capable of underestimating him, even with our bond.

~Only when it comes to family,~ he allows.

~You know your youngest has a huge crush on him?~ I ask curiously.

~Goten? Yeah, I had guessed. Well, if Vegeta can change, then his son can. Even if he's got Bulma's stubborn genes.~ I can hear the tenor ring of my brother's laughter in my head even though his lips only quirk upward in smallest of smiles.

~You're just full of surprises today,~ I remark, and he nods.

And now we're here. The door to the gravity room, silent and forbidding. I can't hear anything inside, and the little window is fogged with condensation. Kakarot and I exchange dark-eyed looks, but before we can knock, the door slides open with a low hiss.

And oh, shit, but Vegeta looks good, standing there glowering at us, sweat shining his golden skin, dripping from his hairline, and that majestic sweep of raven hair, lit with red. His black shorts cling to his legs in a positively obscene manner, and the sweat soaking his white muscle tee makes it almost see-through. I school my face into a neutral expression as his tail lashes the backs of his thighs in a blatantly seductive manner, regardless of the scowl on his handsome features.

"What do you two idiots want?" he snarls at us, and that delicious low voice…it's worse, because Kakarot is thinking the same thing, and we're reflecting the longing back at each other.

"You," we answer in unison. He raises his eyebrows, crossing his arms over his chest, not moving from the doorway.

"Well, I'm not available," he answers sniffily, and I frown down at him.

"At the very least we need to talk," I insist, and Kakarot nods.

"I don't think we have anything to talk about," Vegeta answers, looking away, and I want to growl in frustration. Why is he being such an ass about this?

"Well, there's this," I snarl, pushing my thumb under his chin to lift, exposing the still red and purple bruising of my claim marker. He pulls his head away from my hand angrily.

"Keep your hands off me, Raditz," he warns in a hiss, but I'm to the point where I'm not really thinking, I'm just too angry. I figured he might try to deny what happened, but not like this. He isn't even addressing it! Gods! He drives me mad with his stubbornness!

"That's not what you were saying a week ago," I remind him, moving forward to stare down at him, emphasizing my height and the size difference between us.

"You arrogant shit," he snarls, and before I can move he throws me across the room. I slam into the wall of the gravity chamber in what should be a painful manner, but I don't fucking care. He is just too fucking much! I peel myself off the wall, and land in a crouch. He's moved back into the chamber, a few steps from the doorway. Kakarot stands behind him, frowning. I can feel the anger and confusion rolling off him in huge waves, a tsunami of chaotic emotion.

~You okay?~ he asks tersely.

~Not fucking likely! Gods, I knew he was going to do this, why can't anything be easy with him?~

~Wouldn't be Vegeta if it was,~ Kakarot answers wryly, but I can't take comfort from his equanimity. He's pissed that Vegeta threw me, but he isn't surprised at our prince's behavior. He expected it, too. He's confused because he's not really sure what to do. Hell, I don't know what he should do, either.

"Don't get up, Raditz," Vegeta warns me, and his eyes are wide and feral. Very faintly, on the edge of my awareness, I can sense the anger from him, too. Anger, and…something else? Fear? Not possible.

In defiance, I stand, my muscles tense as I wait for the attack I know is going to come next. Even though I'm ready, he still moves too fast for me, and I get a boot in the face as my head rocks back with terrific force from his neat roundhouse kick. I taste my own blood in my mouth and suddenly everything is too much.

The rage has built up inside me until I have to release it with a scream, the sound pouring from me raw, ripped, and bloody. For a brief moment, I'm totally blinded with the emotion as I clench my fists at my side. Distantly I realize Vegeta has backed away, his mouth open, but I can't stop howling. The months of frustration, the poison jealousy at seeing my prince with my brother first, my absolute frustration at my inability to affect him the way I want to.

My vision snaps in again, but now everything seems washed out, overexposed, as though lit by too-bright sunlight. Vegeta's hair is a dark exclamation point, his eyes drowning deep in the too-white of his face as I step towards him. And even in the very heart of my wrath, he's impossibly beautiful, too perfect to be real.

I feel…strange. Too light, for one, as though I weigh nothing. Everything around me seems oddly slow, as though it's all underwater. I'm moving at normal speed, but nothing else is. It only adds to my rage, though, and I open my mouth again.

"VEGETA! I am so sick of your stupid attitude, your holier-than-thou SHIT! Yeah, we marked you, so fucking what?! Are you completely fucking blind? What the fuck does it matter?"

I can feel the venom welling up inside me, but I can't stop it spilling forth as I reach Vegeta, and haul him up by one fist clenched in his shirt. He tries to pry my fingers free, but for some unfathomable reason, he can't seem to.

"Guess what? Kakarot's stronger than you! Fucking live with it, you self-deluding asshole! He's fucking in love with you, and so am I, and that means you're damn lucky, and I'm sick of the way you treat him like he's a complete moron! You can bitch and moan to me as much as you want about how I don't deserve you, but don't you fucking DARE do that shit to my brother!"

There's more, there's so much more, but I'm past words now, and all I can do is shake Vegeta like I would a small dog. He looks furious now, and suddenly I feel an incredibly heat and energy radiating from him as he flashes up into Super Saiyan, his hair suddenly bleeding a bleached-out gold. He fixes me with those tropical sea eyes, and I know I'm doomed now…but for some reason, he still can't pry my hands off him. Certainly, it's much harder for me to hang on, but it feels like…we're matched in strength? How can that be?

"Fuck you, Raditz," he spits at me, and I throw him to the ground in disgust, dropping him in a wide-legged sprawl. He snarls up at me like a rabid animal, and suddenly that gold aura around him is sparking, dancing and flickering with little arcs of blue electricity that I've never seen before.

"SHUT UP!" I roar at him, "Just shut the fuck up!" In complete and utter frustration I punch the resilient wall of the gravity room…and am left gaping in shock when the entire wall explodes outwards in a flurry of dust and shards of stone and metal. What the fuck?

I turn to look back at my brother, and catch a flicker of gold out of the corner of my eye. Is that…my hair? Before I can find out, Vegeta's fist comes flying out of nowhere and hits me right between the eyes. I don't remember anything for a long time after that.