Fandom: DBZ/ Dragon Ball
Characters: Vegeta/Goku(Kakarot)
Word Count: 964
Warnings: AU, Pining, unbeta'd
Summary: "They don't deserve to die," Kakarot says, always his mother's son. But he's also Bardock's boy
KakaVege Week, Jan 30th: Long distance relationship 遠距離恋愛
Notes: Uhhhhhh. Mild Saiyan's Survive AU/Goku stays Kakarot AU. He's Prince Vegeta's unofficial lover, relatively high ranking despite his class because of his strength, but deeply unsatisfied with being a glorified space pirate with militaristic trappings. He wants to fight and have adventures, but conquering and colonizing planets just doesn't really fulfill him.
He has some pull and gets himself sent to space boonies to do some info gathering on potential target planets, finds earth, finds himself enamored with it and just...forgets to go back. Meanwhile, Vegeta is freaking the fuck out back home and has Goku's crew + Raditz go track him down and bring him back. Of course they find him and Goku goes back, but...who knows if he'll stay, he sure doesn't.
Also happy birthday to me!
The stars fall into the ocean, bright and neverending on its black, sleeping body.
"Commander?" Broly's quiet voice creaks out in the darkness, rusty and awkward, just a little bit endearing.
Kakarot watches the horizon a little longer as if he can pick out one single star system among millions. When Broly clears his throat shyly, Kakarot pulls himself away from the shore's edge, dusting the sand from his armor. "How many times do I have to tell you, Dad's the Commander, not me," he says, gently chiding.
"But..." Broly's big, even for a saiyan warrior, so it's just a little strange to see him shuffle around so self consciously. "That *s your rank, isn't it?" He asks, subtly brushing his inner wrist against the green fur tied around his waist. Kakarot noticed both the uniform violation and the nervous habit but made it a point to play oblivious to it. And then he had made an extra point to keep it from being a problem for any of the senior staff who were more inclined to make a fuss. His brother accused him of taking advantage of his special privileges.
Kakarot smiles, guileless. "Officially, I guess." He scratches his cheek, then laces his hands behind his head and begins walking towards the ship. "Are we ready to take off now?"
Broly's heavy, hesitant steps followed closely behind his, the wet sanding pulling at their boots. "Yes. Almost. Are you happy to be leaving?"
Tilting his head back to gaze wistfully at the sky, Kakarot made a thoughtful sound. His tail unfurls from his waist, sweeping through the scraggly greenery growing from the sandy beach. "Were you happy to leave Vampa?" He asks, not unkind.
They are nearing the ship now, the distortion from its cloaking field visible even in the dark.
"Yes. No." Broly, says. He sounds very young.
Touching the taller saiyan's arm, Kakarot breathes, "Yeah, me too buddy."
This planet is beautiful.
Lush, vast, diverse.
And so, so, so far away.
"Are you sure this is a good idea, little brother?" Raditz asks, doubtful. He's a cynic like that. "You're technically abandoning your mission. You get away with a lot, but do you really think you can have your way this time?"
The earth is a small, blue jewel from the ship's viewing deck, and Kakarot closes it gently between his palms like something treasured. Like their father cradling their mother's hands in his. Like rough fingertips brushing the dip of Kakarot's spine on hazy, pink-hued mornings, watery light filtering through the fine, gauzy curtains and into the prince's chambers.
"They don't deserve to die," Kakarot says, always his mother's son. But he's also Bardock's boy, just like his brother, so he says, "The cost of colonizing earth would barely break even, and that's only if we salvage all available resources and devalue its status as a garden world. There wouldn't be any point."
"That's not your call to make," Raditz says, mildly. Maybe it's been too many years since they've seen each other, but Raditz doesn't argue further, just raps his knuckles on Kakarot's armor. "You look better in armor than those orange rags, little brother."
Space travel isn't all that glamorous. Or instantaneous. Restlessness bites at Kakarot's heels. All the saluting men and Raditz's careful, watching eyes make Kakarot feel claustrophobic.
He misses the sky, even as they sail through galaxies. Sunset and sunrise made the earth's sky look like Vegetasei's, red and deep, but the wind always smelled sweeter. Kakarot had loved the sky when it looked like that, despite the homesick ache he got in the pit of his belly.
He spends most of his time in his quarters, looking over years old communications that piled up in his absence or down below in the hold with Broly, who's clumsy silence is strangely comforting.
"Do you miss anyone back there?"
Kakarot sprawls across an uncomfortable, ancient cot left amongst the cargo, and hums. "Back where?"
Broly brushes the green pelt again, nervously fiddling with it between his wide, flat hands. "Home."
"Which home?" Kakarot laughs, softly. Then, just as honestly, says, "Yes. I miss them all."
They arrive with little fanfare.
Mom cries. Dad huffs, "Gine, it's only been ten years."
Raditz had left to go be debriefed sometime ago, not quite surrendering all his duties even though Kakarot is back now. He's fine with it, he's never been fond of the paperwork or the titles. He's always hated being apart of the rank and file.
Some saiyans try to squeeze him for juicy gossip, searching for the reason why Kakarot was gone for so long. He had to have some kind of interesting war story, didn't he? What else would keep him away for so long?
But there isn't much to say, so Kakarot says nothing, just laughs and scratches the back of his head.
Of course, that doesn't work for everyone. Especially not him.
"Did you miss me?" Kakarot asks lightly, ready to dodge Vegeta's attacks.
Vegeta is furious. Incandescent with rage, really. Kakarot smiles. "I'm glad you're still in good health, prince."
Vegeta thunders and roars, blasting the area with the heat of his anger. Eventually, his anger ashes itself out into smoldering embers, his fists clenched in the fabric of Kakarot's undersuit and his teeth at Kakarot's throat. "You were gone for so long. I thought you died." Vegeta snorts, nipping viciously at tender skin. "It would have served you right."
Kakarot's eyes crease with an easy grin, relaxing and letting his prince do as he pleased. "I wasn't dead, just sightseeing."
His smile is devoured by Vegeta's hungry, jealous mouth, rough finger's shredding his uniform with impatience. "Sightsee a little closer to home, clown."
Kakarot laughs but does not ask which home.