Disclaimer: Don't own it.

This chapter is pretty short, and for that I apologize, but I got writer's block in the middle of it and…not wanting it to suck really bad, I decided to stop. I'll update as soon as I have an open space in my schedule, which might not be until late this week. Please have patience, and enjoy!

II

Goku waited patiently near the forest, he had shifted from his kneeling position near the bush to lying in the grass, staring up at the stars. Tears welled up in his eyes at the thought of Vegeta despising him for loving him the way he did. 'What would I do if he never spoke to me? Chichi would be mortified, not to mention Bulma and my sons…Oh god, what am I going to do…I wonder if he'd even share it, if it would embarrass him to know that I loved him.' Vegeta landed silently close to where Goku was lying, staring at the stars, and he stopped for a moment to look at Goku's face, he was struggling.

"Kakarott…?" he asked not wanting to startle him, and Goku slowly turned his head in Vegeta's direction, his eyes bore straight through to Vegeta's core. 'He looks so lost.' Vegeta thought to himself.

"Sorry Vegeta, kind of dazed I guess…"

"Not getting much sleep would do that to you…" He set down the things he had carried back, and Goku stared at them before sitting up and looking questioningly at Vegeta.

"Vegeta? What are those for?"

"What else would you use a blanket and pillow for?"

"But…you mean…sleep out here?"

"Why not? Don't you love to sleep under the stars? I could have sworn I've heard you say so."

Goku gaped at him for some time before answering.

"Well I—I guess—I never really thought…Oh I don't know…" he concluded defeatedly.

"I believe you have something to tell me?" Vegeta prodded gently at the subject that seemed to be causing his friend so much turmoil. "But before you do, come over here and help me lay this out," he gestured to the blankets and pillows.

"Are you going to stay out here?" Goku asked, moving to spread one blanket on top of another and setting pillows in between.

"Do you want me to?"

"Yes!—Well, only if you want to, that is…"

'He reacted too quickly, but then fell back, he's confused, and he's confusing me.' "Well make up your mind, Kakarott." Vegeta said, covering his confusion as well as possible, "I will stay only if you want company."

Goku stared at him for a moment, "Vegeta…" his voice filled with hope and admiration, which took Vegeta once more by surprise.

"Okay, then I guess I'm staying, shall I go get another blanket for me? Or will you share?" he said almost as if he was teasing the man.

"Oh no! You don't have to get anything! Just…Stay here," Goku patted a spot next to where he had moved to sit down, and looked at Vegeta. Vegeta returned the look and went to sit down, neither of them under the blankets they sat for a while, looking at the stars.

"Listen, Kakarott, I don't want to push you anymore, but will you tell me or not?"

"Don't leave, no matter what I say, please just don't leave. I couldn't stand being alone…" Goku said, his hidden fear of losing Vegeta taking the meaning deeper than what the smaller man heard.

"You have my word, Kakarott, though I don't know why I would leave."

Goku began hesitantly, "Well you know, it has been bugging me for over a couple weeks now, it just recently got worse as I began to have trouble sleeping at all," he paused.

"Yes, I know all this, but nobody knows the reason, though you seem to have found it out, or have you known the whole time?"

"Not the whole time, just…for the past week or so…This is not easy to say…"

Vegeta rubbed his back, trying to reassure the other man, "Take your time." He sighed, knowing Goku had already taken so long to say anything.

"Vegeta the reason I can't sleep is because…I…" 'can't say it…' Goku stopped, his mouth still open.

Vegeta raised an eyebrow at the look on Goku's face, the man seemed to have completely frozen in place. "You alright, Kakarott?" Goku shook his head and came back to the real world.

"No…Vegeta I…I can't tell you…" he said, his head hanging.

Vegeta sighed, "Whatever, Kakarott…" and removed his hand from the other man's back, "You still sleeping outside?"

Goku nodded and lay down, "And please stay."

"I will."

Goku breathed a sigh of relief, and Vegeta a sigh of regret, "Thank you, Vegeta" Goku said.

"Hn, sure."

The two of them lay down in between the blankets, and stared at the sky for a while, when Goku finally broke the silence once more before attempting sleep.

"Vegeta?"

"Yes, Kakarott?"

"I didn't mean to leave you without answers…I just don't think…" he trailed off.

Vegeta sighed, "It's fine Kakarott, but next time, just keep it at 'you don't know' alright?"

"Ok," Goku said, kind of ending the conversation.

Goku shifted himself to look at Vegeta, then moving closer to the prince, he lay his head on Vegeta's chest and put one arm across his stomach. Vegeta jumped slightly at the sudden warm contact, but relaxed. 'At least I can comfort him…I hope…' Vegeta thought. A little while later, Goku fell asleep for the first time in a matter of days, and slept peacefully to dawn, and Vegeta could only worry about him. 'What could possibly be so terrible?'

When dawn did come, Goku stirred waking Vegeta in the process. Goku sighed and remembered what had happened the night before, but Vegeta hadn't left yet, much to his relief. Upon waking, Vegeta looked down at the black mess of hair that had not yet removed itself from his chest. But Goku was awake, whether Vegeta knew it or not, Goku was worried Vegeta might have left by morning but was relieved to find he hadn't yet. Vegeta noticed Goku sigh and shifted slightly, his muscles stiff from remaining in one position for so long. Goku noticed and moved to lean on his elbows and look at Vegeta's face, which held a peacefully tired look to it, something not quite right for the Vegeta he knew.

"Vegeta…?" Goku asked hesitantly.

"Yes, Kakarott?" Vegeta had held Goku's eyes since he had moved to his elbows, his face close to emotionless.

"I…Oh, nothing…"

Vegeta looked questioningly at Goku, "Nothing, eh? You sure?"

"No, but I…That look on your face, just something I wouldn't normally see, on your face."

"Ah."

Goku sighed again and flipped onto his back, giving Vegeta room to move off his back and stretch his muscles out. Vegeta sat up, cracked his back and stretched as far as he could before falling back again, a light thud as he hit the ground. Goku just watched, stretching a little himself, studying every move Vegeta made, but had to lick his lips and look away before Vegeta saw him.

"You're awfully quiet this morning…" Vegeta said, wondering why Goku seemed uneasy still.

"Yea…just tired I guess…don't know what I'm gonna do today, don't really have anything to do…"

Vegeta nodded, "Well you could come and spar, but I don't know if you'd be up to it, you might just want to relax for the day again, sleep is hard to catch up on once it's lost."

"Yea," Goku shrugged, "I should probably get home, Chichi will worry…"

"Very well, I'll get this stuff, you go ahead home," Vegeta offered.

"Oh, that's ok, I can at least help you fold it up!" Goku let a small smile crease his face and then stood up, "Chichi can wait…"

"No, Kakarott, go ahead, I won't even be folding these."

"You sure?"

"Yes! Go home, rest."

Goku walked over to where Vegeta had moved to stand and put his hand on his companion's shoulder, getting his attention, "Thanks Vegeta, for everything…" Vegeta turned his head to the side, looking over his shoulder.

"Sure, Kakarott…I'll see you later."

Goku nodded and lifted off into the sky, leaving Vegeta who picked up the blankets and pillows and took off towards home himself. Goku stopped a ways into the air and turned watching Vegeta as he gathered the blankets and took off, 'That was unnaturally kind of him…'

When Goku arrived at home it was barely after dawn; he sneaked into the house, careful not to wake Chichi, and went to gather clean clothes and took a shower. Chichi woke up to a light breeze in the room as Goku walked by the bed, now completely dried off after his shower, smelling fresh and clean.

"Goku..? You sleep at all, honey?" she inquired.

"Uh…yes, I did."

"Oh that's good, had anything to eat yet?"

"Nope."

"Alright…" she yawned while speaking, "I'll get up and make something then…"

"Ok"

Yawning again Chichi got up and went to the kitchen, Goku sighed, he should tell her about how he fell asleep. 'She'll ask, I know she will.' And she did as soon as he went downstairs to give a hand.

"So how'd you do it, Goku?"

"Huh?"

"Fall asleep? We tried a lot, what did it?"

"Can I tell you over food?" he asked hungrily, his stomach growling "I'm starving…"

Chichi laughed, "Sure." They finished making breakfast and sat down.

"Well you know how I got up to get some air," Goku started.

"Yeah,"

"Well, I wasn't feeling very good and had to land," he paused, trying to fit his words into the right phrasing, "I started to throw up into the bushes, and Vegeta woke up and felt that I was in pain,"

"And he came to find you?"

"Yes, he sat by me and helped me out, talked to me for a while, comforted me…"

Chichi stared at Goku, amazed "He comforted you?"

"Yes, and it worked like a charm, being saiyan he was able to give me a hand with my feelings," Goku paused again, "Then he went home, briefly, to get some blankets and pillows and brought them back for me to lay on…he was being so thoughtful." Goku sighed.

Chichi just stared at Goku, also amazed at Vegeta's thoughtfulness.

"He stayed with me, and helped me sleep, and I slept all night."

"Well…" Chichi said quietly, "That's great, Goku." Goku nodded, a little worried seeing as Chichi seemed upset about the situation, but he shrugged it off.

After breakfast was finished Goku remained inside for the remainder of the day, taking naps in between everything else. Chichi was starting to get hopeful that Goku's sleeping problem was solved, but that night was another of tossing and turning. Goku awoke the next day to find he had slept for only one and a half hours over the course of the entire night. He remained in bed for a good portion of the morning before getting up, only to collapse on the couch after a short shower. The rest of the week went much the same until the weekend rolled around and Goku knew he had to try something else. But what?