Tales of Parenthood
Author's Note
Sequel to Coming of Age. Everyone except Goku and Doctor Briefs are alive, but Goku visits. Grand Tour happened and the dragon balls are gone. Ignores Dragon Ball Super.
Pan is 26
Bra is 28/29
Goten is 39
Trunks is 40
Henry is 9
Cora is 5
Maddox is 7
Litta is 3
Cami is 3
Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or any characters or variations of DBZ. I only own my OCs.
Chapter Twenty-Five: To Be a Grown Up
"Rini, he's beautiful!" cooed Pan looking at the little boy in Rini's arms.
"He looks like Dad and Goten," chuckled Gohan. Chi-Chi was crying looking at the little boy.
"Can I hold him?" asked Goku surprising everyone with his arrival. Rini gave him a tired smile before handing the little boy over to Goten who brought him over to Goku. "What's his name?" asked Goku cradling his little mini me.
"Bardock Ox Son," answered Goten moving back to Rini's side.
"So he's named after the Ox King and my father, huh?" he grinned at the snoozing baby.
"You think you're ready for me to get the mess of kids from the waiting room?" asked Pan edging toward the door.
Rini nodded nearly half asleep. "Just warn them to be quiet. He's asleep right now," commented Goten from his spot next to Rini.
Vegeta walked in carrying an asleep Cora while a drowsy Cami was carried by Videl. Litta walked in holding Henry's hand. Pan went to update everyone else.
"Litty want to meet your new little brother?" asked Chi-Chi leaning down to talk to her granddaughter. She let go of Henry and walked over to the bed. Goten scooped her up to let her see the little bundle that was back in her mother's arms.
"He's small," observed Litta.
"Babies tend to be," smiled Rini.
"He looks like Daddy," she told them as if they wouldn't have noticed.
"Yes, I think you're right on that one," Rini had to hold back a laugh.
"Wow, I have three grandkids now," grinned Goku.
"You finally caught up," smirked Vegeta holding one of his own grandchildren proudly.
xxXXxx
"He's just so precious," Videl stroked his dark hair.
"You wanted a boy, didn't you?" asked Rini. Videl had started visiting her sister-in-law much more frequently since Bardock's arrival.
Videl sighed before admitting, "Yes, Gohan and I wanted a little boy. Honestly, I think that's why Pan was such a little tomboy."
"Why didn't you have anymore kids?" asked Rini while she finished her task.
"The pregnancy was really hard on me. The doctor advised against a second pregnancy, which I was pretty bummed about. I always wished I had siblings growing up," explained Videl rocking the little boy in her arms.
"Pan always had Bra and the boys, so it wasn't as though she was ever alone," smiled Rini watching her sister-in-law snuggle her little boy.
"True, but I glad Pan was able to have a large family," Rini nodded her agreement to Videl's statement. Pan seemed built for motherhood. Three children barely even fazed her.
xxXXxx
"Trunks, I need a day off," grumbled Pan.
"Day off from what?" asked Trunks innocently.
Henry, Cora, and Cami ran through the living room yelling about defeating the wicked witch of the west, Frieza, or some combination of the two. Cami climbed into Pan's lap and hugged her.
"Hi Mommy!"
"Hi sweetie," Pan tried to hid the fact that she was tired.
"Mommy you need a nap," Cami told her pointing to her chest accusingly. Pan sighed. She apparently didn't hide her exhaustion as well as she hoped.
"I think she's right… I think having five kids most of the weekend was a little much," chuckled Trunks.
"But it was fun having Maddox and Litta over!" exclaimed Cora looking a little worried that her friends might not be allowed over again.
"It was, but Mommy needs a little break now. Do you just want me to watch the kids here or do you want a little kid free time?" asked Trunks moving to rub her shoulders.
"I think I want a nap. Then maybe grab dinner with Bra while you watch our wild crew," she smiled at the little girl on her lap tucking a few loose strands of hair behind her ear. Cami's hair was getting long. Pan always had to put it up into a bun or put it into a long braid. Cora's hair didn't seem to grow as fast. She always wore pigtails unless it was baseball time then she wore it in a ponytail strung through the back of her cap. Then Henry still looked just like Trunks including a matching hair cut. Even exhausted she loved her babies.
xxXXxx
"Mom, drop it. I don't want to date any of your friends' loser sons," groaned Bra stomping away from her mother.
Bra sat in the living room playing with her phone when her mother caught up to her.
"Alright, give me one good reason a handsome rich guy can't buy you dinner tonight," demanded Bulma getting very frustrated with her daughter.
Bra smirked. "Because Pan and I are grabbing dinner and drinks tonight!" she told her hopping up signaling the conversation was over.
xxXXxx
"Bra I'm so happy we could go out," laughed Pan as they drank their beverages.
"No problem, in all honesty you saved me tonight. If you hadn't called I would have had to go out with some random guy my mom wanted to set me up with," admitted Bra.
"I thought Bulma was fine with you dating whoever?" asked Pan giving her friend a confused look.
"Well in her opinion, I need to start at least looking for a man. If I didn't know better, I would think she wants more grandkids," shrugged Bra.
"Well if she does they're coming from you. Three is one more than I was planning on."
"What three kids too much for you?" snickered Bra.
"No, but five is… and soon I bet I'll have six," grumbled Pan downing the rest of her drink.
"I'm confused. Why do you have five and why will you have six?" asked Bra raising an eyebrow.
"I have my three. Then Cami wants to have Litta over, and Cora and Henry want Maddox over. Soon I'll probably have Bradock too," sighed Pan.
"I thought Cami, Litta, and Henry liked to play at the dojo and Capsule Corp. Plus, you know Rini will take them more once Bar is a little older. You just needed a little break," Bra assured ordering them another round of drinks.
"I guess your right," Pan grinned.
"I bet the kids would loved to be dropped off at Kame House sometime," laughed Bra.
"Maybe," she laughed.
xxXXxx
"Daddy, where's Mommy?" asked Cami tugging on her father's pant leg.
"Mommy went out with aunt Bra to take a little break," explained Trunks pulling the casserole from the oven.
"Break from what?" asked Cami confused.
"From us," answered Cora curtly.
"Why would she need a break from us?" asked Cami still confused and now a little upset.
"Parents like to take breaks, so they can remember how to be people again," explained Henry with a big smile scooping up his baby sister.
Trunks just shook his head at his children. Cami was oblivious, Cora was too much like Vegeta and Videl, and Henry was too much like Gohan with a little Vegeta mixed in.
"Mommy was just a little tired," Trunks told Cami with a fatherly smile.
"Daddy why isn't you tired of us?" asked Cami still not completely understanding.
"I go to work, so I get a balance of adult time and kid time," he explained taking her from Henry to hold.
"Oh okay," she giggled hugging her daddy.
xxXXxx
"She has a whole freaking file you should see it," squawked Bra nearly spilling her drink.
"It sounds like she's trying to run a dating service," snickered Pan.
"She is, but it's just for me. And Daddy isn't stopping her any more. He says if I reach thirty without having kids or marking someone, I'll either stop aging or try to fuck anything that moves or some nonsense like that," growled Bra.
"Wow, so saiyan woman don't go through the same heat as males?" Pan tried to clarify from her drunken friend. It made sense though Pan had never truly thought it all through.
"Yeah, so now it's set up central," Bra rolled her eyes.
"Maybe Marron, Rini and I should come over we could make a night of looking through your mom's file," offered Pan now a little concerned about her sister in law.
"That might actually be fun," she conceded coming down a little from her drunken haze.
xxXXxx
"Momma why does bubba sleep so much?" asked Litta watching her brother asleep in the baby swing.
"Babies sleep most of the time. It's one of the three things he can really do," explained Rini watching her daughter with a smile.
"When can he start walking and playing and talking?" asked Litta still watching the little boy in the swing.
"He'll start being more active in a few months. He'll start walking somewhere between seven months and a year. He should start baby talking in a few months, but he won't say real words till maybe nine months old or so," answered Rini watching as her daughter now swayed with the swing in order to stare more intently at Bardock.
"When can he play?" she asked still not looking away.
"He'll be able to play a little more every day. He just has to get strong enough to grab and bat at things," replied Rini.
"Did I bat at things?" asked Litta finally turning from her brother to now stare at her mother.
"Yes… It's a baby thing," snickered Rini. Litta climbed quickly onto the couch and into Rini's lap.
"Tell me about it?" she demanded.
xxXXxx
"Mommy's home!" yelled Cami tackling her mother's legs.
"I am, and you're still up," she observed giving Trunks a knowing look.
"Hey, we made a deal. As soon as you go home, everyone goes to bed," grinned Trunks.
Cora and Cami were both already in their pajamas. Henry looked less thrilled about going to bed.
"I should get to stay up later," muttered Henry in a fashion similar to Vegeta.
"I heard that, it's your bed time too little man. The girls got to stay up later but now it's time for all three of you to head to bed," ordered Trunks. Henry made a slight face when the phrase little man was used. Trunks didn't seem to notice.
Once all three children were to bed, Trunks sat half sprawled out on the couch with Pan pulled close to his chest. She smelled of alcohol. "So do I get to hear why you're being so quiet?" asked Trunks rubbing his wife's back.
"Well two things…" she admitted. Trunks raised an eyebrow waiting to hear her explanation. "I think you shouldn't call Henry little man as much," she began.
"Why? I've called him that since before he was born," Trunks was confused.
"I know, but he's almost ten. I think he is starting to want to be his own person," Pan elaborated giving his cheek a kiss.
"Fine, I'll call him Henry," he rolled his eyes.
"Thank you," she gave him a deep kiss on the lips. "Now the second thing, you wouldn't happen to have any hot single guys at your office would you?" she asked giving him a smile.
"Are you looking?" he asked with a smirk.
"Bra is, well she should be. Apparently, she's almost thirty and saiyan women don't have as simple of heats as males do," Pan sighed.
"That would explain why Mom asked for that list of all my single friends," Trunks chuckled.
"Hey don't laugh. I don't want Bra to get sick or have trouble just because she's single," she scolded him.
"Fine, I'll talk to my parents and see what's going on," Trunks kissed her forehead lovingly.
xxXXxx
"So you want to have a man picking night?" clarified Rini looking like she was ready to burst out laughing.
"Yeah, Bulma has compiled a whole list of suitors. Pictures, info, and background checks, she's got it all," Pan couldn't help but laugh as she explained.
"How Princess Diaries 2 of her," snickered Rini with an eye roll.
"We are making a girls night of it. Marron is coming, and we were hoping you'd be up for it too," she hopefully awaited an answer.
"It would be my first night away from Bar, but I think Goten could handle it," Rini told her with a grin.
xxXXxx
"Where are all the kids today?" asked Marron getting settled on the couch.
"Goten took my two over to see Chi-Chi for the day," answered Rini looking relaxed to have a break from her children.
"Trunks has Cora at baseball practice. My dad took Henry and Cami over to Chi-Chi's," grinned Pan pulling out a bottle of wine as Marron and Rini started grabbing the stack of files to look through.
"What are you guys doing?" asked Bra confused. Her friends stared back just as confused at what she could be referring to. "Mom put all the files on the computer so we can laugh it up at the big screen," smirked Bra grabbing her tablet to pull up the files.
"Awesome!" exclaimed Rini dropping the stack of files.
xxXXxx
"Lunch is ready," called Chi-Chi setting out food for her family.
Litta kept getting her hair in her mouth and food. She would merely push it back and continue eating.
Everyone had finished eating except Litta and Bardock, who Chi-Chi was feeding.
"I think someone needs a haircut," chuckled Gohan.
Litta's eyes went wide and she stared to cry. She jumped up and hid behind Henry.
"What's wrong sweetie?" asked Goten checking on his little girl who was getting very close to having a powerful tantrum.
"I like my hair. He'll cut it like Aunt Cousin Pan's short icky hair," she pointed at Gohan accusingly. Litta must have been referring to Pan's hair back when she was a little because Pan's hair was now very long reach to the top of her lower back.
"Sweetie, it's okay. I'm sure that's not what Gohan meant," he shot Gohan a look, but his brother seemed to miss it.
"Short hair like Pan had might not be a bad idea," commented Gohan.
Litta's crying got louder. Henry glared at his grandfather for his stupidity.
"Litta, I won't let them cut your hair if you don't want it cut," comforted Henry.
"Gampa Gohan! You talk about lady's hair. It's rude," Cami informed Gohan in a knowing fashion.
"I have a feeling I messed up, and didn't even realize it," observed Gohan now slightly confused.
"Litty, how about we talk to you're momma about getting your bangs cut," suggested Goten stroking Litta face.
"What are bangs?" she asked with a sniffle.
"Bangs are the hair right above your face," explained Goten.
"So Uncle Gohan won't try to cut my hair?" she asked still seeming a little nervous.
"If he even thinks about it, I'll make him regret it," Chi-Chi chimed in from across the table.
xxXXxx
"That one couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag," laughed Bra.
"Do you want a fighter?" asked Marron surprised. The rest of the women looked curious of her answer.
Bra frozen momentarily before answering, "No, but I don't want some weak guy."
"Hey there's nothing wrong with fighters. We all married fighters," commented Rini with a soft smile.
"Yeah, but your guys aren't human. I have only human options," grumbled Bra.
"There's an alien in that stack," assured Bulma as she walked through the room, not even trying to pretend she wasn't eavesdropping.
"I'm sure he's a probably a looker," Bra rolled her eyes at her mother. Bulma smiled and left the room.
The rest of the girls went back to going through the profiles. So far only three guys were in the maybe column.
xxXXxx
Trunks had finished unloading the all three of his children at home.
"Cora go wash up. You're covered in dirt," ordered Trunks.
Henry headed to his room paying little mind to his little sisters at the moment.
"Daddy?" Cami pulled on his pant leg with wide eyes.
Trunks smiled he loved that Cami got Pan's eyes. They suited the little girl so well. "Yes Angel?" he asked picking her up.
"Is you and mommy going to have a baby like Uncle Goten and Aunt Rini?" she asked.
"We aren't planning on it. Why do you ask Angel do you want a little sibling?" he asked with a chuckle.
Cami shook her head quickly. "I like being the baby," she said in a hushed voice.
"You do huh?" he snuggled her tight. "Good, because the plan is for you to be the baby for a long time to come," he kissed the top of her head. He sat her down and she happily scampered away to play a little before bed.
Trunks headed to check in on his other two children. Cora was scrubbing her face in the bathroom and Henry was in his room messing with his hair.
"Hey buddy what are you up to?" asked Trunks slipping into his son's room.
Henry fidgeted for a moment before asking, "Dad would you be upset is I got a different haircut?"
Trunks felt a slight pang in his heart. He and Henry had always matched. He wondered if Goku felt this way when Goten decided to grow his hair out instead of wearing it like his father. Even with the pang, Trunks knew how to answer, "Of course not, Henry you can get whatever kind of haircut you want."
Henry smiled nervously. "Thanks Dad. I like looking like you, but I don't want to look just like you, you know?" Henry looked at his father hoping he understood.
"I know. You are your own person. Your mom warned me this kind of thing was coming," sighed Trunks.
"How'd Mom know? I just decided I wanted a different haircut today?" asked Henry.
"She didn't know about the haircut, but she knew you were going to start wanting to be different then me. She noticed that you didn't seem to like being called little man anymore and told me to stop calling you that," explained Trunks.
"How about once I get the haircut you can call me little man again," suggested Henry with a small son smile.
Trunks pulled his son into a tight hug. "I'd like that," Trunks said with a soft smile.
xxXXxx
"He's not bad," giggled Bra. All four of them were now drunk laughing on the floor.
"He's some political something or another," Rini read the job description.
"Meh, then put him in the maybe bin. I prefer athletes to diplomats," Bra declared with a drunken wave of her hand. All four women laughed like a pack of hyenas.
Soon they all were asleep sprawled out in the living room of Capsule Corp. The end count included fifteen maybe's, four yes's, and more no's than anyone wanted to count.
In the morning, the four managed to wake up to Bunny serving a very late breakfast. Marron headed home while the other three cleaned up and waited for their rides.
"Did you girls have a fun night?" asked Bulma a knowing grin on her face.
"Yeah, Bra didn't say no to nineteen guys," grinned Pan handing Bulma the list of names.
"Not bad taste. You must get it from me," Bulma complimented herself.
"Your taste isn't the best, being that you chose that weakling before eventually finding your way to me," smirked Vegeta leaving the kitchen to head to the gravity room to train. Bra and Rini looked like they were holding back laughter at Vegeta's quick back to his wife's self praise.
"Grammie!" called Henry rushing in to see her. This distracted her from her anger at Vegeta's dig at her dating record.
"Hi Henry, how are you today?" she asked after getting a hug from her grandson.
"Will you cut my hair?" he asked with a hopeful smile.
"Sure sweetheart. Just let me go find my scissors," she left to go get her tools.
"Hi Mommy!" called Cami who was currently clutching Trunks leg riding on him into the room.
"Hi Cami, where's Cora?" asked Pan looking around.
"One clue," answered Trunks.
"Vegeta," she sighed heading down the hall to look for her daughter.
"Momma! Daddy managed to take care of bubba all night!" exclaimed Litta running into the house straight to her mother.
"He did," she grinned pulling her daughter into a tight hug.
"Did you tell her to report in on me?" asked Goten making a dramatic appalled face at his wife while carrying their son.
"Of course, smart women stick together," snickered Rini before kissing Litta and switching children with Goten. Litta giggled too kissing her daddy's cheek.
Pan returned with Cora at the same moment Bulma returned with her tools.
"Same haircut as usual," mused Bulma moving to fluff Henry's hair.
"No, I want it different this time," answered Henry. Pan looked shocked.
"Henry what kind of haircut are you wanting? I thought you liked matching your dad?" asked a concerned Pan.
"Henry and I already talked about it. He wants to get his own haircut, but he says I can still call him little man," he gave his wife a smirk.
Henry was busy showing Bulma how he wanted his haircut in less of a bowl cut.
"Momma, should I get a haircut?" asked Litta looking a little panicked.
"Do you want one?" asked Rini raising an eyebrow.
"Not really, but Daddy said I should get bangers," she made a face.
"Bangs?" she asked trying not to laugh at her daughter.
"Yeah those," she grinned.
"I thought they might help her not get her hair caught in her mouth," Goten chimed in with a sheepish smile.
"It's not a bad idea… Sweetie would you want bangs like momma or Aunt Pan?" asked Rini pointing to how her bangs were in a rough cut and Pan's were cut straight across.
Litta looked between the two women. "I like yours momma," she answered with a grin.
"Good, I think your hair would fight against a straight cut," observed Bulma from her place cutting Henry's hair. "I can cut Litta's bangs next if she's okay with that," offered Bulma giving the little girl in Goten's arms a smile. Litta nodded her approval.
"Aunt Bra will you do my hair since Grammie's busy?" asked Cami bouncing up to her aunt full of excitements.
"Want me to curl it?" Bra grinned both her nieces loved to dress up and play with her.
"Yeah!" yelled Cami running off with Bra to get the curling iron.
Cora seemed to be pouting. Trunks and Pan exchanged a look before deciding to ask. "What's with the face Princess?"
"Henry gets to get a grown up haircut. I want to do something grown up," she announced firmly.
"What do you want a tattoo," snickered Trunks. Pan rolled her eyes at her husband.
"I want my ears pierced," she declared with a devilish smirk. Rini and Goten were now laughing hard at Cora's comeback.
"Oh no way. You are not getting anything pierced!" yelped Trunks in a panic.
"But Mommy has her's, and Aunt Bra, and Grammie, and Grammie Del, and Grandma Chi-Chi, and Maddox's Mom, and all the girls at school!" she countered with a huff.
"She's got you there," snickered Bulma.
"It'll hurt Princess," he tried going a different route.
"Beauty is Pain," Cora told him with a smirk. Rini and Pan both lost it. Rini laughed so hard that Bardock started crying in her arms.
"I lost didn't I?" grumbled Trunks looking at his laughing wife.
"Yeah, but it was a good try," Pan wiped the tears from her eyes giving him a kiss on the cheek.
"Does that mean I can get them?" asked Cora her smirk now switched to a grin.
"Do you get what?" asked Bra returning to the room with Cami and a curling iron. She plugged it in before turning back to the conversation.
"Earrings, Cora wants to get her ears pierced," explained Pan.
"Aw man, did I miss Trunks having a conniption?" Bra glanced at her brother who still looked a little frazzled.
"Oh yeah, and you miss Cora being extra sassy," laughed Bulma finishing up the last of Henry's haircut.
"Mommy! Daddy! Do can I get them or not?" asked Cora growing slightly impatient with the grown ups in the room.
"Yes, we can go next weekend," replied Pan leaning down to hug her little girl.
"I'll come with," offered Bra who was starting to work on Cami's hair.
"Can I get them too Daddy?" asked Cami.
"No, maybe when you're a bit older," groaned Trunks wishing to avoid another losing conversation.
Author's Note- If I skip something you would have liked to see, please PM or mention it in a review, and I will do my best to add a chapter to include it.
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