Peripheral Reality

Chapter 2

The stranger awoke again the next morning. Kakarot had stayed in the room that night, not bothering to leave in case his injured guest needed something. He'd been sitting in a chair across the room, and when the stranger's golden eyes snapped open, Kakarot had already been watching him for several minutes, thinking.

He was about to say something, but before he could, the strange person sat up so fast that it surely must have made him dizzy, his brass-colored eyes darting frantically before landing on Kakarot. His dark eyebrows furrowed slightly in either confusion or skepticism.

"You're awake!" Kakarot said without thinking, stating the obvious.

The stranger blinked, his eyes very wide, showing off the rings of crimson skin around his eyelids.

"I seriously doubt that..." he said eventually, "It feels like I'm dreaming."

A shiver ran down Kakarot's spine, all the way to the last vertebra of his tail. Gods, he loved this person's voice. Whatever he'd imagined beforehand, it wasn't the rich, colorful baritone that issued from the person's mouth. The voice had a timbre that sounded familiar somehow, but in all it was a beautiful sound.

The person was still staring at Kakarot, as if unable to believe what he was seeing. His long, red tail was flicking slowly in apparent confusion, and a hint of distrust was evident on his face.

"My name's Kakarot," Kakarot said, studying the person's face carefully, "Who are you?"

"You're..." the person began, trailing off in disbelief, "But... you can't be..."

Kakarot tilted his head a little, standing up and walking over to the cot on which the stranger sat. Slowly, he sat down on the edge of the bed, a good four or five feet between them; trying to read the person's intentions in his golden gaze.

"What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost." He ignored that the person hadn't told him who he was; he could be patient.

There was a long moment of silence in which the stranger's expression changed interestingly several times. It was amazing how expressive those gilded eyes could be, and despite the person's visage being fierce and feral in all respects, the way he bit his lip when he was thinking was simply adorable. Kakarot waited with fascinated forbearance, feeling he could honestly watch the person's face for an eternity and never grow bored.

"Where am I?" the stranger asked after a while, meeting Kakarot's gaze warily.

Kakarot wasn't sure what exactly he meant by where. What building? What city? What country?

"You're in the royal city, south of the palace. This is my house, if you wanted to know."

The person shook his head frustratedly, his long black bangs tumbling down over his forehead.

"That doesn't help. Where? As in..." he broke off.

"What planet?" Kakarot supplied, "You're on Vegeta-sei in the west galaxy. Sidor star system."

The stranger's eyes widened further, and he stammered something before falling into a shocked silence.

"But..." he said softly, "Vegeta said the planet was destroyed,"

Kakarot perked with interest, "You know Vegeta?" He should have guessed. Who didn't know Vegeta?

The person's tail thrashed in what could have been anxiety. Kakarot followed the appendage's progress; then the person's last statement registered and something occurred to him.

"Are you Saiyan?" he asked. He had assumed he wasn't. What kind of Saiyan had red fur? Or any fur, for that matter? Maybe he was some kind of hybrid?

The person blinked slowly, as if contemplating an answer.

"Yes, I am." he said after a moment.

"What's your name?" maybe he'd actually get an answer this time.

"Goku," the person said, "But the name I was born with was..." he fell silent quite suddenly.

"What?" Kakarot pried, trying to meet the person named Goku's eyes.

Gold eyes met green, and the person said one word so quietly it was barely a whisper.

"Kakarot."

X

Maybe he shouldn't have said that. Goku watched as Kakarot's green eyes widened to such a degree that they almost fell out of his head. He didn't know how this situation was possible, but he had probably just complicated matters greatly. He was still extremely confused. How did planet Vegeta-sei still exist? Vegeta had said it had been blown to bits by Frieza decades ago. And how in the galaxies was he having a conversation with... himself? A much younger version of himself, admittedly, he could tell that much in the smoothness of Kakarot's skin and the innocence of his emerald eyes. The lack of experience in Kakarot's gaze spoke of his youth; he hadn't seen and experienced any of what Goku had. Not even close.

But then... did that make them the same person? Or did Kakarot simply share his birth-name and appearance? There was only one way he'd know if Kakarot was him. He couldn't very well just ask, the question would seem ludicrous.

While the blonde Saiyan reeled, Goku closed his eyes and carefully extended his senses, attempting to read Kakarot's mind. It shouldn't be hard, since they were so similar, but he had rarely examined another's thoughts from a distance, usually he had to be in contact with the person or – like with Buu – literally in their head.

Kakarot's thoughts poured into him. The disbelief radiating from him at the revelation he'd just undergone was discarded, and Goku felt for his memories. They were very different from Goku's own. This Kakarot had never been to Earth, probably never even heard of it. He'd known prince Vegeta much of his life, since he was a very young child... and his family was still intact.

Goku's eyes flew open at the realization. They were the same person. Kakarot's father was Bardock, his brother was Radditz... he'd been born of the same day as Broly, just like Goku had been. Other memories flooded in, proving the two different people to actually be one. Third-class soldier, Super Saiyan, even many of his values were the same. His likes and dislikes, his morals, his secret desires and guilty pleasures, his love of freedom and life, his ideals of justice and fairness, the little quirks and attributes that made up his personality.

While their histories were very different, their identities were the same.

How it was possible, Goku didn't have a clue.

"Y..you're Kakarot?" the blonde asked in obvious confusion.

Goku allowed himself to smile, "No," he said, shaking his head, "You're Kakarot. I'm Goku. But somehow we just happen to be the same person."

This seemed to confuse the younger Saiyan even more.

"But... you don't even look like me," he said.

Goku smirked, this could be interesting.

"Wanna bet?" he asked, lowering his power. Red fur receded, as did long black hair. He stopped when he reached his normal state, then, with a grunt of effort, snapped to level one of Super Saiyan.

There was a short eternity of silence. Two blonde Saiyans sat across from each other, green eyes looking into green eyes in a silent exchange of information, golden tails flicking in unison. The only differences between the two now were the bandages and various injuries marring Goku's body, the variance of clothing, and the weight of experience and knowledge that would forever set them apart.

"How did you do that?" Kakarot asked eventually.

Goku shrugged, wincing as his wounded shoulder throbbed in protest, "I just lowered my power."

"How? You're either Super Saiyan or you aren't. You can't change it."

Goku sighed and changed back to his fourth form, his red coat sprouting again and hair turning back to black and shaggy. He liked this form best, and judging from the spark of relief in Kakarot's eyes, he did too.

"Sure you can," Goku said, "What, you mean to say you're a Super Saiyan all the time?"

"Well... yeah..." Kakarot said, "Since I was five, I've always been like this." He paused and his verdant gaze swept over Goku, as if studying him, "Why do you look... like that?" he asked eventually, "The fur and everything?"

"This is level four of Super Saiyan," Goku explained. The form didn't require as much energy for him to reach anymore, so it had all but become his natural state. Even when he was unconscious, he'd stayed at level four.

"Level four?" Kakarot queried, "There's more than one?"

Goku nodded, but his thoughts had wandered. Something was still bothering him about this situation. How exactly had he gotten here?

"How..." he began, "I mean... why am I here?"

Kakarot blinked, as if returning from being lost in thought, "I found you in the woods, unconscious on a tree branch. You were taken to the healers and patched up, and then I brought you here to rest."

Goku tried to think back. He didn't remember that, but he'd been unconscious so he wasn't surprised... what had happened before that? He strained to remember, and was surprised when he couldn't. He'd just woken up in this room. Nothing came before that except... being on Earth like he usually was. That was just weird on many levels.

And another thought dawned on him. Shouldn't he try to go back? But... wait... if Vegeta-sei still existed and everything was different here... wouldn't everything be even more different on Earth? Or, another unsettling thought, what if Earth didn't even exist?

X

Kakarot thought over what he'd been told as he glanced at the furred Saiyan sitting next to him on the bed. Apparently this person's name was Goku, and somehow he was Kakarot, but he was different and he wasn't from here... it was too confusing.

Still, even though he'd been told he and Goku were the same person, he still found this familiar stranger fascinating. Still found the glint of his golden eyes beautiful, the ripple of sleek muscle riveting. In other words, he still found Goku appealing, even if he was him.

It was a strange thought to ponder. That he could be so intrigued... no, that wasn't the right word... attracted... to himself. There was just something about Goku. Something about the way he looked at him; friendly and empathetic, though still tinted with subtle wariness. As if he knew exactly what Kakarot thought and felt and yet was unsure about him.

Kakarot met Goku's gaze again, trying to think of something to say. He felt like he could get lost in those endless amber eyes, the dark bangs that fluttered slightly as Goku shifted his weight, the flash of teeth past lips that looked like they should be amazingly soft.

The depthless stare was only broken as Goku blinked slowly, baring bright red eyelids in the moment those golden eyes closed. Kakarot didn't think. He just leaned forward, closing the space between them, and claimed the other Saiyan's lips, trembling at the tentative, yet overwhelming contact. He had never kissed anyone before, and he would never have guessed his first kiss would be with himself.

He was amazed that Goku didn't push him away, didn't break the kiss. There was something magical about it; soft, warm lips moving against his own, eyelashes brushing against his cheeks, a large, but gentle hand reaching up to thread through his hair.

A quiet sound escaped Goku's lips and he pressed their mouths more fully together; Kakarot gasped at the sensation, instinctively parting his lips to a questing tongue. The hot, wet muscle dove in without hesitation, and Kakarot heard a soft moan. It took him a moment to realize it had come from his own throat. Goku's hand, still stroking his hair, wandered down to trace his jawline, a strangely intimate gesture that made Kakarot pause.

"Wait... wait..." he stammered, breaking the kiss and looking into bright yellow eyes, "Why... what are you...?" He wasn't entirely sure what he wanted to ask, and his lips already mourned the loss of contact with the other's.

"You kissed me," Goku said simply, "So I kissed you back."

"Why?" Kakarot asked, tempted to just forget the questions and resume what he'd been doing.

Goku shrugged his furry shoulders, "Why not?"

Because I'm promised to another... Kakarot thought, ...because I'm betrothed to Broly...

But he didn't say these things. He wanted... Hell, he didn't know what he wanted.

"Do you want me to stop?" Goku inquired, his gorgeous gold eyes honest.

Kakarot debated within himself. He didn't know why the other Saiyan wasn't refusing... he didn't know why his body wanted more of that contact... he didn't know why he couldn't make himself say yes and walk away...

"No," he breathed. At least that, in itself, was the truth. Much as his conscience and the memory of his father and brother's cautioning words warned him that this was blatant insubordination, he didn't want this beautiful creature that was himself to stop.

Goku's dark eyebrows nearly met in a look of concern, likely reading the conflict in his younger self's gaze. Eventually he just smiled in a heart-stoppingly handsome manner and enveloped his lips over Kakarot's again.

Kakarot felt himself melt. The taste of the other's lips – while perfectly his own, of course – was addicting; sweet and wild and forbidden all at once. His hand gripped Goku's furred shoulder of its own accord, attempting to draw him closer. Goku complied without a word, his broad chest almost touching Kakarot's as the pressure of his mouth on his became almost unbearable. The agile tongue that had teased him before delved in deep, stroking along his own.

It was all too much. Kakarot felt he was suffering from sensory overload, and he felt the heat flaring in his loins become an ache. The scent of arousal filled the air, and Kakarot realized it wasn't all coming from him.

The beautiful wild being shifted, rising onto his knees and using the height advantage to kiss Kakarot harder, almost bending the blonde Saiyan backwards. Gravity won out and Kakarot collapsed on his back on the bed; refusing to lose that contact, however, and pulling Goku down with him. The furred Saiyan sprawled across his waist, kneeling between his thighs and slipping his tongue inside again.

He felt the stirring of the other's arousal against his stomach, and he had to wonder - with what could have been a twinge of foreboding - how far Goku would go with this.

X

Regret was something Son Goku never admitted to having. And as he kissed the blonde version of himself, it was no different. Whatever consequences that resulted were irrelevant. All that mattered was the lithe, warm body pressed close to his, the taste of another's lips on his, even though they were the same. His injuries had stopped paining him, the ache utterly washed away by the sensations being ignited in him by this younger version of himself. It had been so long since he'd kissed anyone. Since ChiChi had passed away eight years ago, he'd been so alone. It had been so long since he'd held someone, since someone had touched him like Kakarot was touching him. It had been so long since he'd...

The thought cut itself short as sanity dawned on him. He faltered. Was he really considering... doing that with himself? He'd only ever had sex with his wife, and the thought of... but still...

He couldn't answer the questions running through his head. All he knew was that he was here, and Kakarot was kissing him, and the smell of arousal was goading him on. But... there was just something holding him back.

"Kakarot," he murmured, kissing the other briefly before breaking away, meeting his twin's desire-hazed green eyes below him.

"Hmm?" Kakarot asked, attempting to connect their mouths again, but Goku stopped him by sitting back slightly.

"Do you... do you want this?" he asked carefully, forcing his awakening lust not to interfere with the question. He had to know...

A shadow came over Kakarot's gaze, maybe doubt, but it was gone before Goku had a chance to study it.

"Yes," Kakarot said, "Yes, I want this."

"Do you know what I'm asking?" Goku pressed stubbornly. Much as he wanted to throw aside his inhibitions and take the other right then and there, he had to be sure of this.

Kakarot nodded twice, "I want you..."

Goku blinked, "But I am you."

"I know," Kakarot conceded impatiently, "But I don't care. I want... I need..."

Goku thought for a moment, deciding there was no real reason why not.

"Alright," he said softly, "If you're sure."

The flash of conviction in the blonde Saiyan's gaze was an answer of its own.

He kissed his counterpart again, enjoying the long moan that he elicited from Kakarot's throat. Shedding the last of his uncertainty, he allowed his previously innocuous touches to become more suggestive, wrapping his tail around a supple thigh, stroking a feathering hand down the younger Saiyan's chest through the thin material of his shirt. Kakarot's head tipped back slightly as he gulped air, and Goku took the unintended offer to kiss and lick down his bared throat, nuzzling the sensitive skin of the blonde's jugular. Something was bothering Goku though, something in the back of his mind that just wouldn't shut up no matter how many times he tried to quiet it. It was about the memories he'd looked at when he'd initially told Kakarot who he was. Something that was missing.

It clicked suddenly, and Goku stopped and looked into the younger Saiyan's eyes for a long moment.

"What?" Kakarot asked breathlessly.

Goku's eyebrows lowered just a fraction, "Kakarot are you... are you a virgin?"

There was that shadow of doubt again, but it dissipated after a moment.

"Yes," Kakarot said quietly, almost embarrassedly.

"And you want..." he wasn't sure how to phrase the question so it wasn't offensive to both of them, after all, they were the same person; "And you want your first time to be with... yourself?"

"No," Kakarot said shortly, "I want my first time to be with you."

Goku was about to protest, but the other's position was pretty clear. Why Kakarot so desired him, he wasn't sure, but he'd be lying to say the feeling wasn't mutual. Strange though it was, he was in fact attracted to himself. I guess that makes me a narcissist...

But it didn't seem important. None of it seemed important. Though they had just met not half an hour ago, there was an understanding between the two. They had no need to apologize or wonder in each other's presence, for they were one and the same. The same fantasies, the same desires, the same boundless want.

Goku smirked. Kakarot may be a virgin, but he wouldn't be one for long.

X

Kakarot shivered as Goku slowly removed his shirt, smoothing his palms over Kakarot's quivering chest as he did. No one had ever touched him like this, no one had ever made him feel like this. No one had ever...

Kakarot arched off the mattress with a groan as Goku's tail brushed slowly over his aching erection through his black spandex leggings. The vocalization earned him a repetition of the action, this time more lingering, and he fell back, panting for air as Goku leaned over him again. Long satin bangs drooped in his face as his older self ducked in to kiss him thrillingly, nimble fingers landing on the waistband of his leggings tantalizingly, teasing the sensitive skin of his hips. The thick red tail that had tormented his arousal moved away, and he moaned a protest, quickly silenced as Goku's soft lips closed over his again.

"Please," he whimpered, losing his fingers in a thick mane of black hair above him, "Please..."

"Please what?" Goku asked sensuously. A tremor skittered down Kakarot's body at the sound, his cock jumping slightly. That rich, purring voice was simply amazing, the silk of the other's hair between his fingers indescribable.

"Touch me," he pleaded, running his tail along a furred flank.

And Goku did. The hand that had been teasing his waist wrapped around Kakarot's straining erection, squeezing lightly through the spandex.

Kakarot's breath choked off and he arched against the touch desperately, tangling his fingers in Goku's hair.

He could feel his tight pants being lowered a few inches, and he felt the heat of the other Saiyan's mouth exploring the skin of his inner thighs. One cherishing hand slipped behind his knee, and Goku gradually removed one of his training boots, letting it fall to the floor before taking off the other, which joined it. The spandex leggings were the next to go, and they took a short flight to the ground once freed from his skin.

Kakarot felt the contact of warm hands vanish for a moment, and heard the muted sound of shoes hitting the floor as Goku removed his own, then the whisper of fabric against fur. He inhaled sharply in a gasp as Goku straddled his legs to kiss him again. The bare contact of sweltering skin, the brush of sweat-soaked fur, the abrasion of bandages here and there that hadn't been removed; the full length of another's hardened member – though identical to his own, obviously – pressed agonizingly against his. Goku's long hair swept across his chest as he closed his lips over Kakarot's, thrusting inside with his tongue and crushing their mouths together.

Kakarot almost protested as Goku's mouth left his for a moment.

"Do you have..." the furred Saiyan began, breathing hard, "...lubricant... something..."

"On the table," Kakarot panted, "massage oil."

He felt the other Saiyan get up and stifled an objection. Though it was mere moments before Goku returned, it felt like much too long.

Goku's apology for leaving - even briefly – took the form of a lingering kiss, and Kakarot moaned his forgiveness into his counterpart's mouth.

A slick finger slid from the inside of Kakarot's thigh to trace his entrance slowly, circling unhurriedly to accustom him to the sensation. Kakarot shifted in slight discomfort, he'd never been touched there before, but the soothing circles of the oiled finger and the sweet warmth of lips on his eventually relaxed him.

Goku broke away once again, concern sparking in gilded eyes, "Are you sure you...?" he began.

Kakarot fought the urge to roll his eyes, "Yes! I'm sure," he said quickly.

"But -" Goku said.

"Please," Kakarot implored.

He could still feel the other's hesitation, but the circling of his entrance resumed after a moment. He hissed a breath as one lubricated finger invaded him, then two. Both moved for a moment before a third was added, stretching him gradually.

Kakarot drove against the wandering fingers with a groan as they pressed against something that sent waves of pleasure throughout his entire body. His tail flicked Goku in the face – causing one gold eye to squint shut as the older Saiyan smirked – and the action was repeated, sending another bolt of pleasure through Kakarot that left him gasping for breath. Then the fingers withdrew, and Kakarot moaned a protest, feeling empty... needing...

Goku nipped the end of his tail and he yelped, startled pleasure zinging up his spine at the odd sensation. Then he threw his head back with a shout as the tip of Goku's slicked erection pressed into him slowly. He felt a thick tail coiling around his own cock as Goku began to stroke him even as he filled him gradually. Kakarot pleaded something incoherent, overloading on contact, desperate for...

He cried out as Goku thrust once, striking that amazing spot inside that made his blood roar in his ears with the intensive pleasure. The other Saiyan grunted and thrust again, a jagged breath escaping him as he leaned up to capture Kakarot's lips again.

Kakarot braced his hands against the other's furred shoulders, matching each thrust, never wanting it to end. A pressure was building in him as Goku's pace increased, his vision flickering white every time he hit home... he needed... something...

He screamed as his orgasm crashed over him suddenly, and he heard the shuddering moan Goku released as he came as well. Every muscle locked as the utter nirvana ripped through him again and again, and while both a second and an eternity in one, the moment was heaven, pure and simple.

Goku's red-furred arms shook, as if they were having a hard time supporting his weight, and he slid out of Kakarot's heat gently, collapsing next to him, his chest heaving for breath.

Kakarot lay there for a while, every inch of his skin glistening with sweat, as he tried to slow his racing heart and steady his breathing. He smelled blood, and he suspected some of Goku's wounds had reopened with the strain. With that thought, reality hit him hard, like a punch to the gut.

He was betrothed. And he had all but committed a felony in sleeping with another when he was promised to be mated.

Still... he had never experienced anything like that before. He glanced at the other Saiyan beside him, eyes closed, kiss-swollen lips parted slightly as he panted for air... and he couldn't deny the ever-present attraction that rose in him. In fact it may have gotten stronger.

And he wanted...

Again, he wasn't sure precisely what he wanted, but the feral Saiyan next to him was high on the list. He wanted to do this again. And again. As many times as he could. He wanted to kiss his older self, and see him smile again, and hold him and be held... forever.

His eyes slipped closed as a revelation dawned on him. He tried to fight it down, to forbid it to surface and forget it.

But he couldn't let it go. While he was beginning to resent it already, he didn't want to let it go.

He sighed quietly, "I think I'm falling in love with you," he murmured.

He heard Goku's breath hitch beside him, and he felt that beautiful golden gaze on him questioningly.

"Wh..." the older Saiyan began, "What do you...?"

Kakarot let his eyes open slowly and looked up at Goku, who had leaned over him once again. His silken black bangs framing his red-rimmed, bright amber eyes, an expression that fell somewhere between disbelief and awe on his handsome face.

Kakarot leaned up to briefly kiss that slightly ajar mouth. It wasn't a possibility anymore. No, he was certain.

"I'm in love with you." he said softly.

TBC

((Well... that escalated quickly... maybe too quickly. This was a really long chapter, over 4,000 words, and if it still seems a little rushed, I'm sorry.

Thanks, as always, for reading and for your support.

-Shinsun))