A/N: I don't own DBZ and I don't pretend to. This story is AU so that gives me free range and my characters OOC (out of character). Be warned spelling and grammar mistakes will be found. ALWAYS! Another Warning, this could end up as a Yaoi male/male coupling. If you are homophobic then don't read. No-one is making you. Rated R
Royal Delivery
Chapter 18"Mirai, they've found Gohan."
Mirai just looked at his papa. His blues were trying to comprehend what his mind thought he heard his papa just say. Ursus just blinked too stunned to speak.
"Didn't you hear brat? Or are you too intoxicated? Your brother has been found." Vegeta snapped as he approached the door.
Goku was still holding the door open for their son to enter. The unfading smile on his lover's face made a smile slip over Vegeta's own ever since he told him that Gohan was coming home it's been there. "BRAT!"
Mirai blinked and his blurred blues trailed over to see his father standing in front of him with his usual stern expression. Again he looked back at his papa urging them in with a smile.
"Come in. We have lots to do." Goku beamed as he dragged and hugged his son in a Saiyan size bear hug. "He's really coming home. Turles and Raditz have him on their ship."
Goku released his son. Mirai stumbled back some on his feet and over his words "How? When? I-I… heck I don't know… This is true… right?" The boy looked over at his father the king who nodded yes it was. Mirai's smirk grew into a smile. He was beaming like his papa now.
"Kami Yes!" The teen's fist shot into the air before turning to his long time friend and pulling him in for a hug. "See Ursus there is a God. Thank you, thank you, thank you. When will he be here?" Mirai beamed with his blues alight and full of energy with the news of his brother's return.
"In two weeks." Goku said as he turned to his mate and pulled him in for tight hug from behind. Vegeta rolled his eyes but his steady smirk arose on his face. A small slip on how he was really feeling inside.
The King was stunned, lost in disbelief when he talked to his brother in-law about the find of their youngest cub. Vegeta couldn't get all the answers out of him fast enough. He remembered just sitting in his office not able to get his mind to work around everything that was said. Only a few words slipped from his lips in the privacy of his office. "He's coming home."
Now in their private apartment in the cool of the evening, the excitement and anticipation after years of longing was being passed to Mirai. "Two weeks? Oh that's too long. Can't we get the royal guards to bring them here faster? I know I could go with them and I can be with h…"
"No Brat. I have all ready spoken with Raditz and he thinks it will be best if Gohan has this time to get use to the idea about coming home." Vegeta hadn't had the heart to tell his mate about the unsettling events that their boy was found. They all thought in the back of their minds that nothing good could come from him being away, but the hope was always there. Vegeta wanted the family to be together before he broke the news to them.
The King looked over at Ursus, with a frustrating sigh from Vegeta, the boy who had wormed his way into their royal home. The teen was never too far from Mirai and finding time with his boy alone was rare. Both boys were always bad news together.
"What do you mean he needs time to get use to the idea?" Mirai frowned
"Geta?" Goku wanted to know too.
"Sit the lot of you. I have news that will be difficult to take." Vegeta watched as his family his son, mate and the boy went to take a seat on the plush sofas. With a sigh he looked at each of them as their full attention was on him.
Mira's blues lost some of their excitement as they darkened. Goku's whole body tensed as he waited anxiously for his mate to speak. Ursus looked uncomfortable sitting next to his friend looking up at the King, the man he loved to irritate and had learned to respect.
"Right this is not going to be easy to speak about or for you to hear and I want you two to promise me it doesn't leave these walls and that you will respect my wishes on this matter." Vegeta was looking at both boys as he continued. "I don't want any trouble from the pair of you got it." It was more a statement than a request. Vegeta's dark eyes fixed on his son and his friend. Both boys nodded in unison with their eyes still on him.
"Your uncle Raditz told me that they found and disposed of Burles before…" The King was interrupted as the two teens, with blinding grins, gave a high five before returning their sights back to be met with Vegeta's stern gaze that wiped the smiles of the boys' faces as they lowered their eyes. "As I was saying Burles, before he was killed, told them where they could find Gohan…"
Mirai's blues pools hardened. He didn't like where this was leading. He had an idea that sent a wave of sickness over him as his stomach knotted with the anxiety that was building inside of him as they waited and listened to his father. His blues, for a second, glanced over to his papa who was being awfully still with a mask over his face making it very hard for him to see past it.
"Gohan… " Vegeta locked eyes with his mate's. Goku waited for the knowing words his mate would speak, that has been there all along hiding in the comforting word of denial. " Gohan… was a… he was made to…" Vegeta closed his eyes feeling everyone's eyes upon him as he swallowed hard and tried again. He was the king, God damn it! He wasn't allowed the luxury of feelings. "Our son was made to please others…" Vegeta was interrupted with his son's outburst.
"LIARS! MORE LIARS!" Mirai spat as he gritted his teeth and sprung to his feet glaring at both parents. His face was burning red with rage. His ki was climbing ready to hit the roof. "It is all lies, all of it!"
"BRAT, SIT! Vegeta glared and pointed for the boy to sit back in his seat. Ursus looked up at his friend not knowing what to do. This was one of his friend's greatest fears being spoken out loud. Goku's eyes were glazed and lost their sparkle as the words echoed inside of him.
"Sit! Vegeta repeated to his boy. Mirai's eyes flickered to a battle rage that would match his father as he reluctantly obeyed the man with a burnt frown on his face. He shook his head trying to shake the words and the images from his mind. His baby brother… *NO*
Ursus moved forward with his head hung low lost in his own thought before looking up at Mirai who had his face buried in his hands. The boy placed a hand on the prince trembling shoulders to try to comfort him in a quiet suggestion of friendship.
The young prince sniffled as he removed his hands and rubbed the evidence of tears from his face. Mirai looked up at his father. Vegeta who had his bond open offering support to his quiet mate who was looking lost.
Goku's mind was racing with images of his carefree son, the warm smile he would receive when he would wake up in the morning to see his young cub hauling himself up using the bedding to help lift his small chibi self up onto his parents bed before crawling over to them and cuddle up to both of his fathers in the privacy of their room. Mirai was never too far behind him as they all crammed themselves into the massive bed that seemed to be too small for the four of them.
"Dad." Mirai called as he wiped his face again refusing to be weak in front of his fathers. "Dad!"
Vegeta blinked as his son pulled him from his wandering thoughts. "Yes son."
"Can I speak with him?" Mirai asked hopefully.
"I don't know boy. He was asleep, last I spoke to your uncle."
Mirai lowered his eyes and kept them fixed in front of him not wanting to look at anyone while his mind raced in the unnatural silent of a crowded room.
"I'll get his room ready." Vegeta turned to his mate and frowned as he watched Goku get up and head off to the boys' old room. The King went to follow him leaving the two teens to think and talk among themselves.
When Vegeta came in he found his mate sitting on the boy's bed with his youngest son's favourite toy that Mirai had given him the first year they became a family. Gohan loved the Saiyan lizard he used call bark, with its now fading fabric of oranges and gold like the deserts of Vegeta-sei. The toy was now tattered and worn from all the abuse it had received from when Gohan was a baby.
"Koi." He whispered softly as he approached his mate in the semi darkened room.
"It's not true… I won't let it be…" Goku said in a whisper trying to be strong but failing as his every word sent a tight knot that would pull in back of his throat gagging his attempts.
"You can't hide from this koi. Our son needs us to be strong." Vegeta sat behind him wrapping his arms around his lover and bringing Goku around so he could see him.
"I-I don't think I can…"
"Of course you can. Just like when you were there for Mirai when he returned." Vegeta purred with his tail unwinding to bring this mate closer still as it snaked its way around his lover's waist and down his mate's thigh.
"But this …" Goku stopped as his swollen tears escaped with his words choked. His body trembled into his lovers waiting arms not holding back now as a river of grief washed over him as his heart breaks.
Vegeta's eyes were fixed and determined to be strong for his mate who was leaning against him drinking up his love. "I know. I know… If your brother didn't kill the BA…"
"What do we do…?"
"We'll be there for him koi. We'll be there for him." Vegeta brushed his lover's hair from his face and kissed him on those wet lashes bringing them both back on their son's bed in protective hug reassuring his mate in silent comfort, quietly praying that their boy will be home soon and all will be fine.
~~~
"Mirai, do you want me to go so you can be with your parents?" Ursus asked sitting back on the sofa watching his friend bury his head again wiping away the remaining tears that blurred his vision. The prince took a deep breath and allowed himself to drop back on the sofa where he sighed again and turned to meet his friend with swollen eyes and a weak smile.
"No Ursus, stay." The tired voice called.
"Sorry." The other boy didn't know what to say. He felt bad as well and for his friend.
"Yeah." Mirai tried to smirk at the word. What could anyone say? No words could express how they felt. Angry… enraged… furious… pain that cut deep into the soul and tears away at the very core of one's heart.
"What do you think is going to happen when he gets back?" The boy asked.
"I don't know?" Mirai said as he looked away and stared at nothing in particular. "I don't think my fathers know either." Allowing his tired blues' glaze over with a thousand and one thoughts.
"It's going to be big change for him…" Ursus never got to finish with his friend's outburst.
"Those Bastards!" Mirai growled as he sprung to his feet full of rage with his fist clenched at his side as his mind went over the images that were being displayed with the knowledge that it was all true.
Ursus sighed and looked up to face his friend. "Hey, he made it this far. He must be strong?"
Mirai smirked as he sat back down with friend's concerned eyes on him. He knew what Ursus was trying to do, trying to stop him from breaking something or going off looking for trouble. "Yeah… Chibi has always been a survivor." He said weakly.
"Well he's not a chibi now he would be what, fourteen."
"Fourteen." Mirai sat back and thought about it. "Last time I saw him he was four, nearly five."
"Brat! That's why we'll have to tread carefully. Your brother won't be the same person he was when he was taken." Vegeta had felt and heard his boy's outburst and knew just what his son was capable of.
"Do you know anything else? What did uncle Raditz have to say?" Mirai watched his father sit back down opposite him with his papa following and sitting next to Vegeta.
"Only that he still has the ki ring on…" Mirai frowned and both boys unconsciously touched their own necks in a nervous reaction that didn't go unnoticed by the king and his mate. "…and to expect him to be smaller than most around his age, and he still has his tail."
"So all those whispers were true?" Mirai looked back to met his father dark orbs. "Two weeks. I don't know if I can survive that long."
"It's been ten years." Ursus said nudging his friend in the shoulder with smile.
"Yeah but this is different. We know where he is. Dad, do you think they will let me speak to him?" Mirai asked again hopefully.
"The boy will be asleep." Vegeta growled out only to get a nudge from his mate who was after the same thing as their teen.
"Oh dad please just let me speak with one of my uncles at least." The boy pleaded. Vegeta looked back at his mate who nodded.
"Fine boy." Vegeta got up and walked over to a small book size panel on the wall. He pressed the code in. The king looked back over his shoulder to see Mirai who was getting up with his friend and his papa. Mirai rubbed the nervous sweat from his hands down his pant legs as he waited in anticipation.
"Who is it?" Came a voice, sending most hearts into a leap of excitement.
A smile slipped over Mirai face and his papa, Vegeta, smirked. "Turles…" Vegeta raised brow he didn't get a chance to speak as Goku jumped in before him.
"Turles, how's Gohan?" The twin on the other end smiled when he heard his brother. The general looked over his shoulder. Everyone was asleep the ship was still.
"Brother, he's asleep. We had a little problem with a nightmare earlier but he's fine now."
"Nightmare?" Goku didn't like that. He looked over at Vegeta and Mirai who had the same expression on their faces.
"Like I said he's fine." Turles said trying to reassure his brother.
"Uncle, how is he really?" The man wasn't that surprised to hear his eldest nephew but was lost as to what to say without lying.
"…"
"Uncle, please tell me. Has he called for me?" This had been on the teen cub's mind since the whole thing had started. How many times had his brother called for him?
"Mirai he doesn't speak much and when he does, well, he still believes himself to be a slave."
"Slave" This didn't bear well with the king. This was his youngest boy, one of two royal heirs to the throne of Vegeta-sei. Turles sighed this was going to be a long call.
~~~
While Turles was talking to the king Gohan, who couldn't shake his nightmare off, sat up in search for company. He knew who would let him in his bed. He hadn't slept by himself in years and he didn't know what to think. His confused mind was after the only attention he had been trained for. The only way he knew to get anyone to take notice of him even if was the wrong attention.
But after years of being told that it was a good thing, yes it was a good thing not to get beaten to within an inch of your life if you refused to cooperate, yes it was a good thing not to be locked away, isolated from everything, everyone with little or no food for so long you could feel your mind twisting to believe they were right and you were wrong.
Wearing one of his uncle's over size tops that slipped off his shoulder, the prince quietly slipped out from under his covers, like a thousand times before, and padded over to one of his new masters' bedrooms. *He likes me I smelt it.*
There in his room lay a giant of man sleeping soundly, oblivious to the storm heading his way. Gohan could see Nappa lying on his back breathing peacefully a calming note. Sniffing the air the boy couldn't smell any familiar scents other than the man. There was nothing to say he had been drinking or the smell of sex.
The young prince trod carefully as he has learned over the years. The quieter you are the better the chance of not getting caught and getting what you want. He moved up to the bed and slipped his small form under the covers moving as close to the warmth of the man he jump as he felt that thick tail slide its way. With the covers up some he watched it move. Eyes wide, the boy stopped, not knowing what to think.
He needed company to help shake away his nightmares. Dark pools looked at the bald headed man. His eyes lingered over him. He could hear the man mumble something under his breath as Nappa moved in his sleep with his long powerful tail slipping and curling around Gohan waist bringing the boy even closer with its tight grip. The prince tensed but made no attempts to stop Nappa as the man's arms came around the prince pressing boy closer still.
Still asleep Nappa cuddled into the boy's own warmth. Gohan who could hear purring, something he hadn't heard for a long time, allowed his head to rest on the man's chest listening to the sound that was warming his broken soul. *papa*
With the boy laying quietly on top of the large man Gohan's own tail entwined around the man's own more powerful limb and then the young prince started to stroke it. The boy found the sound emanating from the older warrior deepening with each stroke. With the desire to hear more of that familiar purr he continued.
~~~
"Brother please…" Turles tried to calm his twin but with all the interruptions between Mirai and the King it was becoming an impossible task.
"Why wouldn't he want to speak with us? We're his family and…" Goku was interrupted with a scream coming from the other end.
"AAAArrrrrrrrrrgh… GET THE BOY OFF!"
"What the hell was that?" Vegeta demanded hearing it all.
"SHIT! Hold on!" The general hit the button and hightailed it towards the loud thud and yelling.
"Turles!" The king bellowed, eyes blazing with no response.
When the warrior rushed to the sound he found himself along side his older brother at Nappa's door. Horrified, they looked down at their friend on the floor with Gohan, the prince, sprawled out on top with his tail now flicking nervously behind him looking fearful, if not dazed, like the rest of them. "GET HIM OFF ME!"
"Gohan what?" Turles was speechless. He looked down at the boy looking at him with questioning eyes before he was pulled off and dragged away from the larger man.
"Master sorry..." Gohan's wide eyes looked up at the man who was holding both his wrist up in front of him.
"STOP calling me that!" Turles yells. The boy shivered from the man's words preferring to look away not wanting to see his uncle's fiery expression. "Get up Nappa. I've got the King and his family on line. I don't think we want them to know what has just happened."
"Shit!"
"You got that right! Gohan I want you to come with me." Turles tugged on the boy's wrist urging him to follow.
The young prince pulled back petrified believing he was going to get a beating. "I didn't mean it I'm sorry."
"I'm not going to beat you boy. I have your fathers online."
Gohan shook his head vigorously as his eyes widened. "I don't want to speak with them. Please don't make me."
"Come on." Turles grabbed the boy and heaved him over his shoulder as the boy pleaded with him hitting his back kicking trying to worm himself out of the strong grip. The general ignored him and left a petrified Nappa still on the floor with Raditz who just sighed and held out his hand.
"That boy's got it in for me." The larger man growled
"He just likes you." Raditz growls back.
"I wish he didn't." Nappa said as he was pulled up he lowered his head and looked back at his long time friend from the academy days. "Can I sleep with you?"
"That had better be a joke." Raditz said with narrowed eyes fixed on his shrinking friend. Nappa looked away. He didn't feel safe with the boy sneaking up on him twice now. With no ki to the boy, due to his collar, the man was at a loss.
"Fine but you get the floor."
"Thanks." He beamed
~~~
The general strode in with a protesting prince over his shoulders pleading the whole way. "Don't make please I'll be good to you …please please…" It all went on deaf ears as he was plonked down in a seat. "Sit there!" Turles pointed at him glaring making his point known.
Gohan look wide eyed at him. None of the three bachelor on the ship knew anything about mothering a cub, only the saiyanjin knowledge of how to get things done. The boy looked up at him wearily. "Now, I have your family on line…" Gohan's eyes went wide with fear, his head shook unconsciously as he backed away further into the chair.
The general moved over and sat in his brother seat. He looked at the boy and with a deep breath his eyes fixed on the task at hand. With his fingers stretched out ready he pressed the button alerting the other end that he was back and, as expected, he was hit with flood of demands. "What happened Turles? Is Gohan all right?"
"I demand you to tell us." The king bellowed from the back.
Hearing his name with that familiar voice, the boy was transfixed looking at where the sound was coming from. "Everything is fine I have the boy here with me and…"
"Gohan?" The Goku called.
The boy backed away further. With eyes as wide as plates he looked up at his uncle shaking his head. "NO please." he pleaded getting added attention he didn't want.
"Was that him? Gohan is that you?" Goku called. Turles could hear eagerness and concern in his twin's voice.
The general closed his eyes for a second working out his next words. Millions of miles away Mirai's eyes lit up with that ghostly sound of his brother and trying to burn the voice into this memory. "Gohan it's me… Mirai."
The dark young eyes snapped back looking at the speaker petrified with tears threatening to swell in his ink pools as his body started to tremble his chest started to pull and tighten. He shook his head and went to spring from his seat. "Gohan stay!"
"Master no… please don't make me" He really wanted to go but his uncle had snatched one of his wrists in his strong hold. "Please don't …"
Turles mind was going over what to say while, on the other end, Vegeta's eyes darkened and narrowed at the words that pulled at his heart wishing, in his mind's eye, to hunt and kill the people that did this to his son.
Goku turned from his own concerns to his mate's ki about to spike. "No Geta." Goku shook his head for him to be calm.
Mirai was just starting to realize just how much it hurt to hear his brother speak those words filled with a plea. He looked over at his fathers. His papa was close to tears and his father was enraged. The lavender hair turned back to his old friend whose was saddened by it too. Ursus gave a weak smiled sending some comfort back to his friend.
They were pulled from their thoughts as a voice cut through. "Brother how about we leave this for another day. It's been a long day for everyone." Turles said looking at the boy's pleading eyes in front of him.
"Gohan please…" Mirai called before his father moved him aside.
"Boy! Boy we wait for your return. You belong back at home…" The king, the father, choked before regaining his control. "We will see you then son."
"We will be stopping of at a space port to get some more supplies we weren't expecting an extra person and Gohan will be needing clothes. Turles explained with quick glance at the young prince.
"Clothes? Fine keep me informed and keep an eye on the boy for us. We trust you to bring him home on time." Vegeta said keen to see his son back home with them like it should have been.
"Yes your highness. I will." With that Turles hung up and turned to the boy, who was in tears, still in his grip. He stood up and brought the boy out from his chair into a comforting hug that Gohan was no longer accustomed to.
The man could feel the boy tense before he eased himself closer. Turles with his tail snaking it way to the boy's own. He wasn't surprised when the boy tail flinched with the touch. "It will be fine. You'll see. We are all here to help you."
"I can't go back. Please don't make me. I'll do as you wish."
Turles sighed as he looked over his shoulder to see his older brother looking at them with the same concern on his face as Turles who tried to comfort the boy. "Why are you awake?"
"I can't get any sleep with that lug in my room. It's like the academy days all over again. All that bloody snoring." Raditz grumbled as he moved towards them. "I'll take over. You go with the boy and get some sleep."
"I think I'll take you up on that." He smiled before he looked at the mass of black hair against his chest as the boy settled into his uncle touch. "Come on Gohan."
The boy pulled away and followed his uncle to their room, leaving Raditz to take over piloting the ship. "Come on old girl we have long way to go yet." He sighed as he looked out into the darkness watching the stars speed past as he picked up speed.
"A long way."
TBC…
A/N: Sorry for the delay. Poor Gohan…I have it in for Nappa. I'm working on the next chapter with then at the space port. Let me know what you would like to see being played out. I'm listing and I see what I can do, can't promise too much since I have started on the next chapter already. ^_~
Thanks guys
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