I'm almost afraid to go ahead and keep writing before I see Saturday's cache of reviews. I am fairly certain Vegeta will have been blasted to HFIL and back several dozen times! But, I'll do it anyhow because that's how I've been writing the entire story.
DarkSeraph: Ouchies! *examines hook* Hmm… yep, looks pretty secure. Hey wait a minute! You can't camp there! I might need to rush out for chocolate! I have made myself cry a few times in writing this. Especially the last line of 19.
Pixelgoddess: It didn't occur to me until you mentioned it, but I guess Vegeta usually does break down. All that past Frieza stuff… Vegeta is a little out of character, yes, but that's in part to the fact that he read Goku's mind way back when, and is still affected by it more than he realizes. *big cheesy grin* Don'tcha wish you knew what it was Goku said?
(Goku: What'd I say?) (Jewel: Hush!)
Talon: Um, there's a little picture of me with my name flashing. It links to the picture index. Anyway, it's supposed to. If you still can't find it, I'll have to have a conniption fit with the linking dealywhatsits again. Or you can just click the Massive link, they're in my photo album there.
Tatoosh: One of these days, I'm sticking your name in my spell checker. Um, no, Trunks isn't a prude, or dating Pan. Did I say something that made it sound that way? If so, I most sincerely apologize. I haven't seen enough GT to know squat about Pan's character, so she pretty much stays out of the stories. Ditto Bra. J I adore Goten. No idea why… EEEKS! What a lot of questions about Trunks and co. at 42! 20 should have answered some of that, this & the next may answer more. Naw, Vegeta wasn't about to give Kuroichi up. Too much of a good thing. ;-)
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He ached. Oh, not his body, his mind. He couldn't focus enough to think clearly, and knew only two things for sure: Vegeta had beaten him, and he had a mess to clean up. Blood everywhere, and he had to clean it up. It was his fault… oh, he remembered that, too.
I must never leave… angry… too much blood. He moved mechanically, the paper towels from the bathroom doing little to make any headway against the mess. So tired… must clean… who? He looked around, seeing Goten standing horrified in the open doorway.
"What happened?" Goten walked in, his shocked gaze taking in the blood soaked room even as he shut the door. "Dad?" He focused on the dazed man in front of him. "I mean, Kuroichi? What happened?"
"I… displeased the master." It was an effort to talk, to force the answer past the maelstrom in his mind. The shredded paper towel in his hand was all but useless, and he was still trying to rub away the marks on the wall with it.
"What do you mean?" Goten crossed to his father, forced him to stop the useless scrubbing motions. He guided the older man back to the bed. "Where did all the blood come from?"
"I displeased the master." Kuroichi tried to focus on the voice, but he couldn't. "I need to clean up."
"You lay down. I can take care of this. You're not going to be able to do anything with just a paper towel." Does he mean what I think he does? Did Vegeta try to kill him? That's the only way there could be this much blood. Oh gods, that's bone!!! He examined his father, as far as he could tell there were no new marks. Senzu. If he was beaten enough to leave this much blood, he had to have had a senzu.
"No… he'll be angry with me."
"Lay down!" Goten shoved his father back down. "You stay right there, or you'll have my mother to deal with!" He waited. The implied threat finally penetrated the daze the older man was in.
"You'd tell her?"
"Only if you get up," Goten said quietly. "You need to rest. I'll take care of the mess." When his father's eyes closed, he went in search of the bots Bulma used to clean the GR after Vegeta's sessions. Those things were equipped to deal with blood… and pieces.
"Hey, you disappeared for awhile." Strong arms enfolded him.
"I went to talk to Kuroichi… see if he knew about the dragonball." Goten nestled back against Trunks. "He wasn't able to tell me anything."
"He wasn't?" Trunks asked. "Well, isn't that annoying? Maybe Mom's radar?"
"No, it doesn't show up." Goten tipped his head back. "She's been looking for it too, you know. She thinks it's shielded, because it's been missing since my dad left."
"Mmm?" Trunks accepted the offering Goten gave him, kissing him thoroughly.
"What if your dad comes in?"
"He's got his whore, and no room to talk," Trunks snapped. "And I'm tired of pretending you're nothing more than a good friend." Goten pulled away from him. "What, do you want to keep hiding?"
"It's not that," Goten whispered.
"Then what?"
"If we stop pretending, does that make me your whore?"
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Goku: I said stop being mean to him!
Jewel: That's not mean. It's a valid question, considering Trunks' attitude.