A/N: Hope you enjoy! I'm actually proud of this chapter (not to say I'm not proud of the others) but this one is one of my favorites
Happy Father's Day!
Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z or any of the characters
Chapter 14- The love of a father and son
Android 27 awoke the faces of small children then he turned his head to see a boy with lavender hair. The boy looked at him as if he saw the devil himself. He then turned to see his sister with tears in her eyes and then that Yamcha guy and Goten smiling at him. 27 wished he could move his arms and legs so that he could kill them but sadly he could not. What was he even doing being alive? If wasn't mistaken, didn't Goten beat him. 27 scoffed. He couldn't believe he was actually beaten by a boy who hasn't even been through puberty yet, whatever that was. He tried to speak but found himself enable to. The lavender haired boy walked over and screwed something on his chest.
27 felt that he could finally speak and glared at the strange child "Who the hell are you and why the hell is my chest opened?" 27 said in a threatening tone. 26 gasped.
"27, don't use language like that around children" the lavender haired boy smiled at 26.
"Don't worry, my father says way worse stuff, trust me" the lavender haired boy turned to 27 with a weak smile. "Hi, my name is Trunks Briefs" Trunks greeted. 27 scoffed again.
"What kind of stupid name is Trunks?" 27 smirked as the boy narrowed his eyes.
"What kind of stupid name is Android 27?" 27's smirk widens.
"I'm an android moron" Android 27 said in a matter-of-fact tone.
Trunks smirked "So since you're the 27th android, doesn't that make you younger than 26, which makes you her little brother" 27 glared at the boy but the smirk didn't go away. 'I kinda like this kid' he concluded in his head.
"Anyways, will someone tell me way Jeans has my chest opened" Trunks glared at the green-haired man and frowned.
"Well, I repaired you after you got your butt kicked by Goten" 27 glared at the boy once he mentions Goten defeating him. 27 turned his head away from the lavender boy. 27 has never felt such defeat since he lost to 28 and that destroyed his pride. Now here he lies, defeated and being taken care of by another kid, how could this get even more humiliating, Android 27 felt eyes on him so he turned to see the girl with the blue hair smile up at him.
"You don't look so mean" she smiled. 27 glared at the child but for some reason she just keep smiling at him. "My names Bulla, I hit you and you woke up" she said in a childish tone. 27 looked at her for a second then back at Trunks.
"What is she your sister?" Trunks nodded. 27 sighed and looked out the window. 27 looked over to see Goten walk closer to his bed side.
"27….we should talk-" Goten was interrupted by 27's glare.
"What should we talk about? How you beat me, how your so much stronger than me, I don't think so" 27 said harshly than turned his head away from Goten.
"What was I supposed to do?" Goten shouted "You were planning to kill my father! I couldn't let you do that! I want to protect my father just as much as you want to protect 26" 27 turned his head to Goten, his eyes filled with both anger and frustration. Anger for being shouted at by the young child that defeated him and frustration for that said boy being right.
"Well then boy" 27 said with restraint anger "Since I can't kill your father to protect 26 then how the hell am I going to protect her?" Goten looked taken back for a second then 27 saw determination in the young boy's eyes.
"I'll help you protect her" Goten said with an air of seriousness surrounding him "Me and Yamcha, 28, 29, and everyone. We will all try to protect her even if it means putting our lives-"
"No…" 26 said softly. 27 quickly looked at 26 with a surprised expression. 26 looked over at 27 with a small smile "Big brother…..I am an android like you…..I can protect myself. I don't need everyone to surround me in protection" 27's eyes widened "All this time I've been trying to be something that I can never be. But now it's time I except me for who I am. I am an android created by . I was built to kill Goku and take 's revenge. But I will not follow the Doctor's plan. I will do what I think is right. I will not kill Goku. 28 and 29 have also made this decision. I hope that you could do the same" 26 stood up and smiled her usual smile. "Thank you Big brother for protecting me but now I have to protect myself." 27 looked at 26 with shock and watched her leave the room. Yamcha followed her, but turned to look at 27 one last time. 27 looked down and sighed.
It has been a whole two minutes but for the people in the room it felt like hours until finally 27 decided to speak and break the silence "I won't kill Goku" Goten smiled "But you have to promise me that no harm would come to 26….or any of them" Goten nodded, a serious expression. What was 27 going to do? He knows that if he tries to kill Goku then 28 would come after him in a second. He had to be smart and, even though he hates this phrase, give up. 27 saw the smile that did not decrease one second. Suddenly the door opened to see Android 28 and the others come in. 27 looked over and noticed that most of them were looking at Goten.
"Goten, we have something to discuss" Goku said in a serious tone.
New Androids
"Wait, What?" Goten shouted in both shock and fear. Goten was just told by his father that soon a powerful enemy would appear and kill not just his father but the androids as well. He then told him that Goten would have to fight this monster and beat him. Goten looked over at his brother, who gave him a worried look. "B-But why me?" Goten said in a shaky voice. Goten felt that all the weight of the world has landed right on his shoulders. Who could they tell a boy who has not experienced puberty yet that he has to go and fight some unknown enemy that they say is going to be the strongest enemy they will ever face? Goten felt cornered and wanted to run away but for some reason he couldn't move his body.
"Android 28 says that she believes that only you can defeat him" Goku said in a soft tone.
"W-Why me!" Goten stood up "Why are you putting all this on me, Why can't you do it?" Goten shouted at his father, who had a blank look on his face. Goten wanted to know why. Why couldn't his father, who they say is the strongest man in the universe, defeat him? Why is he instead sending his youngest son to go and do it, knowing that he could easily die or worse? Was his father scared to or something, was he willing to sacrifice his son to this beast thinking 'Will I always have Gohan' Goten always felt slightly jealous of Gohan. Gohan had known his father for years, they got to have precious memories together, and they had a chance to grow a special bond while with Goten. He only knew his father for 1 year. When he first met Goku at the World Tournament, when Goku said 'Chi-Chi why is there a little me behind you' Goten never showed it but….that hurt him slightly. For his father to ask who he was….to not know that he existed, that hurt him. He felt like a…..stranger to him.
"Goten, I can't" Goku looked at his son with a serious stare. Goten felt anger boil in him once more.
"Why?" the ground around Goten slowly cracked.
"Because Android 28 said that during this…." He turned to Chi-Chi then back at Goten "I'll die" Goten's eyes widen with tears fogging his sight. Goten suddenly felt himself running to nowhere particular. He just ran with tears pouring out of his eyes. He looked around to see that he was now flying down to the earth. He kept flying until he got slightly tired and landed on a cliff. Goten let all the anger and sadness pour out of his eyes. He curled into a ball and continued to cry until he felt a presence next to him.
New Androids
Goku watched his son leave and was about to go after him when he felt his eldest son rush past him. Goku looked a little shocked and let his eldest son go. Goku felt a feeling in his stomach and knew that he was jealous of his son. While Goku was dead, Gohan has become less of a brother to Goten and more of a father instead. Goku knew that that was how Goten saw Gohan. Goku sometimes felt like a stranger to his son. He only after all knew him for one year. That is not enough time to get to know someone. Goku kind of hated himself. If he knew that Chi-Chi was pregnant with Goten…He would have thought things through with that fight with Cell. Now he doesn't even remember his son's birthday. But with Gohan that was different. Gohan was there when Goten was born, when he took his first steps, when he first began to speak, when he first went to school, when he threw his first punch. Goku missed too many first with Goten. Gohan has taken his place as a father in Goten's heart. Goku felt his fist ball up and calmed down.
"I'm gonna go take a walk" Goku said and walked out the room of friends. Goku walked around the large temple until he stopped a room with a large pool in the center. Goku took off his shoes and stepped his feet into the pool. Goku slowly began asking himself. 'I wonder who Goten said Daddy to?' Goku thought with tears threatening to come out. 'It was probably to Gohan' and after that thought the tears released slowly. Goku put his face in his hands and softly let the tears free from his eyes, not knowing that someone was behind him.
"Goku…?" He turned to see his wife staring at him with a worried look on her face. Goku tried to cover up the tears but knew that were obvious.
"H-Hey Chi-Chi" Goku said in a shaky voice. Chi-Chi walked over to Goku and sat down next to him.
"You know Goku" Chi-Chi started "I never saw you cry before and now your crying over dying-"
"It's not about that" Goku said in an emotionless tone. "It's about Goten"
Chi-Chi smiled "Don't worry Goku, Gohan can stop Goten from crying in a minute" Goku looked at his wife with sadness evident on his face.
"That's the point" Goku said shaken "I should be the one helping Goten to stop crying yet….I know that it would be like a stranger talking to him on the street"
"What are you talking about Goku?" Chi-Chi said in a confused tone.
Goku didn't look at his wife but at the reflection in the water "I know that me and Goten can never have a father/ son relationship. The best we can ever be are friends. I can never make Goten happy the way a father should. I know that he looks at me like I'm a stranger, I try to hide it with a smile but I can't! I want to be a father to Goten but I know that that spot has already been taken by Gohan. Gohan has been there for Goten the way a father should be there. Gohan knows Goten's likes and dislikes but I…..don't even know his favorite foods, colors, hobbies or anything that I should already know. Do you know how much it hurt to have to meet your son for the first time and have he look at you with a blank look, a look you give a stranger? And now I find out that I'm not going to live to see him go to high school, go on his first date, see him get married and make me a grandfather. I hate myself for not being there for him, I hate myself for not being his father and now I hate myself for never knowing him" Goku shouted, his fingers smashing through the marble floor. He looked over to see his wife with tears in her eyes. He suddenly felt a sting in his face and he realized that his wife had smacked him, and pretty hard.
"Don't you ever say that you are nothing to Goten but a stranger!" She shouted at him. "Don't you dare say that you feel like you don't know him. Goten looks up to you like a hero. He tells me every day on how cool he thinks you are and on how proud he is of having a father like you. To him…you're his role model, He wants to be you! Yes you missed a lot of his life and maybe you will miss more but…..doesn't that make you want to savor the time you have with him. Don't you want to make so many memories with him that you don't have to worry about anything? He's your son and he loves you. He loves you as much as he loves me. He would do anything for you, even go up against a killer robot, designed to kill you, just to protect you! And you stand here saying that you are not his father? That Gohan has become your replacement? Why are you acting like an idiot? Can't you see he loves you?" Goku was surprised to see his wife saying these things.
"Goten…..looks up to me?" Goku asked softly.
"More then you'll ever know" Chi-Chi embraced Goku "Goten wants nothing more than to be like you" Goku returned the embrace and cried quietly "Now go find your son and tell him you love him" Goku nodded and ran out the room and into the sky.
New Androids
Goten turned to see his older brother walk up next to him. Goten really didn't feel like seeing his brother right now so he turned away from him. Gohan sat next to him.
"Hey Goten" Gohan said softly "Look I know how you feel, like the world is on your shoulders. That's how I felt when I fought Cell. I felt alone and powerless, I didn't know what to do. I wanted to run but I knew I couldn't. I knew that I had to protect my friends and family" Goten looked bitterly at Gohan.
"At least you knew who to protect" Goten said bitterly.
"What are you talking about?" Gohan asked.
"I mean, I know that I have to protect you and mom but…..I don't even know Dad. I don't know him like you do. I don't have all the memories that you have with him. I feel like a stranger to him, like I'm not his son. I want to be so bad though. He's like a role model to me I guess. I want to be him so bad but I know I can't. I know that I can never be a son to him because to him….he has one son, he has you. I don't know whether to hate you or to envy you. You'll never have to worry about not feeling unloved by him. You don't have to worry about any of that while for me…..It feels like I only have one parent sometimes" Goten tried to hold back the tears that were about to be released "Now I find out that….I'll never get to have the same relationship you have with Dad because he's going to die…..He's going to die and I can't do anything about it!" Goten released his tears and was surprised to find Gohan embracing him in a brotherly hug. Goten looked up with his tear filled eyes to see his brother staring at him with small tears in his eyes.
"Goten…..Dad cares about you as much as he cares about me" Gohan smiled "Sometimes I think he cares about you more. Goten, Dad doesn't see you as a stranger or anything below that. He thinks of you as his son. He gloats about you all the time actually. 'Can you believe Goten became a Super Saiyan at such a young age?', 'Goten is way stronger then I was when I was his age.' Dad thinks of you as a child prodigy in a way. He wouldn't wish for a different son. Sure Dad missed a lot of your life but it wasn't his fault. I'm sure if he knew that Mom was pregnant with you he would have thought of something different but that was the past Goten. Dad is with us now, even for a short time, He wants to get to know you like you want to get to know him. Understand that Dad loves you and wouldn't trade for anything in the world" Goten was close to crying again.
"R-Really?" Goten asked shyly. Gohan nodded and his smile widened when he felt his father's presence approaching. Goten turned to see his father fly down to Gohan and him. His father looked at Gohan then Goten.
"Gohan….can I speak with Goten for a second" Gohan nodded and slowly began to fly away. Goten looked up at his father then down at the ground. "Goten…..Why did you run off?"
Goten looked up slowly "I…..I was scared" Goten admitted.
"Of fighting the threat?" Goten shook his head.
"Of losing you, Dad" Goten's voice cracked "I was scared because….I won't have any time to know you better. For the past year I felt like a stranger to you. I felt like you didn't want to know your other son. The son that you recently found out that you had. I felt pushed aside. When I saw you and Gohan…..you guys looked so happy. You guys looked like an actual Father and son. I wanted to be Gohan so bad. I wanted to know how that felt, to have a relationship with your father that strong. Dad….I want to be you. You are so strong and brave and I want to be you so bad but….how can I if I'm not even a son to you" Goten looked away and waited for Goku to just nod and walk away but he stayed.
"Goten…..I'm sorry" Goku said in a soft tone "I'm sorry that I made you feel that way but…..that's not how I think of you at all, Goten" Goten looked at his father with pure shock. "Goten, even though we only knew each other for only one year….that doesn't change the fact that you are my son. For a while I thought that you hated me, that you hated the father that just came into your life after 6 years without him. I thought that you thought of Gohan as more of a father then me. But I didn't know that you felt that way as well. Goten, you are my son and I'm proud to call you that. You're kind, strong, willing to do anything to protect the people you care about. I love you, my son" Goten jumped into Goku's arms with tears running down his face. Goten looked up to see his father smiling with tears in his eyes as well.
"Dad….." Goten smiled. Goku grinned.
"Yep that's me" The two sat there and laughed until finally the laughter died down. Goten looked at his father again.
"Dad….I'll fight the unknown threat" Goten finally stoke "I don't want any more people to get hurt. I will get strong enough to defeat him and save you" Goten said with determination. Goku could have sworn he saw himself sitting next to him for a second but shook his head and grinned.
"That's my son" Goku got up with Goten following after him. Soon the two quickly began to fly back to the Lookout, both grinning brightly.
New Androids
Once Goten and his father made it back to the others, they were all gathered in a group discussing future plans. Goten walked over to Android 28 and the rest with a determined aura surrounding him. Android 28 looked down and smirked.
"So Goten, you decided yet?" she asked with her nature attitude influenced voice. Goten nodded.
"I want to defeat the unknown threat" Android 28's smirked widened.
A/N: This had to be the most dramatic chapter that I had made. It took all the strength I had to not cry and it surprising it worked. I just want to thank you all for the support for this story; I couldn't make it without ya'll!