Chapter Two: The Cancellations Begin

Two days later, Vegeta was getting dressed into his black training outfit. It looks almost exactly like his usual blue, but it has BAD MAN stencilled across the back in red, with red gloves instead of white. He was pulling his black boots on when the phone rang. He hobbled over, one foot clad in ultra durable nylon steel tipped boot and the other in just a secret sock, and checked the caller id. His face lit up when he saw the name that the caller id brought up, and he picked up the phone excitedly. He never tired of hearing Kakarot's voice.

"Hey, Kakarot!"

"Hi Vegeta. Um, what are you doing right now? Free to talk?"

"I'm getting ready for our sparring session, just pulling my boots on and then I'm packing lunch." Vegeta felt unnerved by Goku's tone of voice.

"I should have guessed, huh?" a light laugh on the other end.

"Yeah, well, we have been sparring every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday for the last twenty something years. And I usually get dressed before hand, you know. I don't train in boxers. Why you asking? What's up?" Vegeta frowned, as he pulled on his other boot, the phone cradled between his ear and his shoulder.

"Um, it's just that, well, you see, its Claudia."

'What about her?" Vegeta's tone also changed. It dropped about sixty degrees. If words were water, his would freeze right now. His eyes also narrowed, as he pulled on his boot.

"We kinda made plans to meet for lunch, and I made arrangements without thinking. I sorta made our lunch date for today." Goku cringed on the other end, waiting for Vegeta's response.

"As in, today, Saturday?"

"Yeah."

"And after doing the same thing for twenty seven years, you kinda forgot we spar today?"

Vegeta fell back against his pillow, his hand holding the phone while the other ran through his hair. He was trying very hard to not lose his temper.

"Oh, come on, Vegeta, please don't be mad at me! I'm just so dizzy lately, I think I might actually like this girl! I'll make it up to you, I promise. We'll do a double on Monday or something. I know you'll understand, you always do."

Vegeta was silent, his hand over his eyes as he rubbed the tears away.

"Vegeta? Hellooo!" Goku looked at his phone, slightly confused.

"I'm here, dammit. It's okay, Kakarot. You go and enjoy yourself, you deserve it. We can spar another time, I guess."

"Really!? Thank you so much Vegeta, you're the best!"

Vegeta sat up, and leaned against his headboard.

"Yeah, whatever. Now go, before I change my mind and drag you out to spar."

"Thanks man! Chat later then."

"Sure Kakarot."

Vegeta put the phone down on his side table and leaned his head back, closing his eyes. He wrapped his arms around himself tightly.

When is it going to stop hurting so much?

He hung his head, and forced back the tears.

No more. I can't take this any longer, this pining after him. I have to let go, and soon, before it destroys me.

He was suddenly struck with an idea. He got up and left his room, off to find Trunks.

"Hey dad, what you up to?"

Vegeta walked into his son's office without knocking, in his usual style. He sat on the big blue couch, put his feet up on the table and took a handful of marshmallows from the bowl on the coffee table.

"Nothing, although that isn't by choice." Vegeta shoved a handful into his mouth and chewed them slowly, while glaring at his son. Trunks could tell that something was wrong, and he had to be careful. He checked his watch, then looked at his dad.

"Um, aren't you usually sparring with Goku round about now?"

Vegeta snorted, and swallowed his mouthful.

"Yes, but he pulled out. Cancelled for the first time in twenty seven bloody years."

Vegeta sounded bitter. Trunks could tell that the situation was delicate.

"Did he say why?"

Trunks left his desk and sat next to his dad. Vegeta growled.

"He had a lunch date with Claudia." he said caustically, practically spitting out her name.

By the way Vegeta said her name, Trunks could tell that this was yet another person on Vegeta's People-I-Really-Don't-Like list.

"He's allowed to be out with other people too, dad."

"But he could have organized it for another time besides our sparring matches! He's smart enough to remember when we spar."

Vegeta leaned back onto the big cushions of the couch, arms folded and fingers drumming out a rhythm on his bicep, a frown well in place.

"In all honesty dad, you've had the monopoly on him for nearly thirty years. Give some one else a chance."

Vegeta growled and got up, and stomped across to his son's door. He turned to face him, his face angry, teeth bared.

"Fine then! Side with her! Everyone will, because no one gives a fuck about Vegeta! Especially not Kakarot! No one cares! And I'm gonna stop caring about this bloody stupid planet pretty soon!"

Vegeta stormed out and slammed the door as hard as he could, to punctuate his argument. Trunks sighed as the door cracked in half down the middle. It's just as well he got it reinforced last week. Trunks sat in his leather desk chair, and tracked Vegeta's energy going down to the gravity chamber, and he smiled as his father transformed into super saiyan two.

"Typical dad. At least he's venting his anger on the training bots instead of the furniture, like last time. But since when is he so bugged about what Goku does? Maybe Goten is right…maybe my dad feels a lot more for Goku than we think." mused Trunks, leaning back in his chair, feet on the desk as he chewed a pen thoughtfully.

-----

Vegeta's room phone rang just as he was pulling on his black gloves. He was in his red sleeveless outfit, just for a change. He checked the caller id, then picked up the phone quickly with his usual enthusiasm for Kakarot.

"Hey, Kakarot!"

"Hi Vegeta. Listen, I hate to do this to you, but is it okay if-"

"- if you spend the day with Claudia?" Vegeta finished his sentence for him.

"Hey, how did you know?"

"Because you've already cancelled twenty four times in a row, that's two whole months, for the same reason every time. We haven't sparred once since you met her. I don't even know why I bother picking up the phone any more, it's the same bloody thing every damn time. it's always Claudia."

Vegeta couldn't keep the bitterness out of his voice any more.

"But Vegeta, you know I can't help being in love!" said Goku brightly.

"Well, neither can I." snapped Vegeta. Then he suddenly realized what he'd just said. Oh shit!

"Then you know how I feel then!" Vegeta exhaled. Kakarot hadn't noticed his Freudian slip then. Vegeta felt the painfully familiar burning in his throat that usually accompanied tears. And as always, I just can't say no to him and break his heart, like he's broken mine, because I care too damn much too tell him to be with me instead.

"Alright, Kakarot. Look, we can meet another time. We've still got a good two hundred years to live, what's a couple of months or so between friends?"

"Exactly! I've gotta run, Claudia is calling."

"Run along then. Bye Kakarot." Vegeta wanted to add I love you to the end of that sentence.

"Thanks, Vegeta. I owe you one."

Vegeta put the phone down back on its base sadly.

You owe me everything and nothing, Kakarot.

Vegeta looked at his calendar on the wall above his bed, which had a picture of Goten and Trunks on it from a recent party. Today's date was circled with a thick red ring with little balloons drawn around it. August 15.

Happy birthday to me…

This time, he cried.

AN- I have got such gorgeous reviews for this story! And to the following reviwers..

Musaka14

A Paler Shade of Blue

Ozumas girl

Midnite flame princess

Layann

Thank you! I only hope that I can live up to your expectations! Yes, poor geta…but do not fear, he will get his own back, and in more ways than one…yes, I are evil.

And, I seem to have made a non-yaoi fan change her opinon! To Clarobell, I hope you enjoy this yaoi fic, and I really hope that you'll give it a chance. Don't worry, I read straight fic too, I just prefer to read and write yaoi. Methinks that one day, I'll write a Piccolo X Vegeta fic. When I ever get the time…