Tangled Up in Blue

by SonChan

Goten and Bulla have been entangled in each other's lives for years, but after a recent kiss, both are thrown for a loop. This is only intensified when the Z Gang gets an invitation to visit Planet Souljin, distant cousins to the Saiyans, for a grand celebration. As they travel, Goten and Bulla are plunged into situations where they realize just how much they mean to each other.

8. Chapter 7: Ad Astra

Tangled Up in Blue

Disclaimers: Per usual,I do not own DBZ/GT; credit to Majin_Angel_Chan from DBU for the concept of Planet Souljin.

Author's Note: Holy cannoli! I can't believe this story has over 1k hits on AO3 and just as many hits on FF! This is insane. I'm humbled, honored, flummoxed—you name it, I feel it! Thank you all for tuning in so far. In a lot of ways, these beginning chapters have set the stage and we're about to be in for a wild ride of hidden romance, action/adventure, drama, misunderstandings, and some good ol' Saiyan lore.

---

Chapter 7: Ad Astra

25 years earlier…

It wasn't the dark that Goten was afraid of, but rather the unknown.

At age four, the young halfling believed he had overcome much in his short life, yet it became inexplicably apparent that his first overnight at Capsule Corp. was unsettling him deeply. Trunks had dozed off the second he hit the pillow on his bed, leaving Goten in the bunk under him awake and alone with his thoughts. The unfamiliar creaks and clatters of a bedroom that wasn't his only made the young boy's nerves multiply.

He turned his head, clutching a baby blanket he had brought from home for protection, as he observed the faint light peeking out from under the door. Trunks insisted he didn't need a nightlight, though Goten had several in his own room back near Mount Paozu. The small hybrid wasn't sure if Trunks was simply braver since he was older or if he just wanted to appear that way to his friend. No matter the truth, Goten shook when his little eyes detected some footsteps emanating out from the hallway.

Two small shadows stopped directly in front of the door and Goten immediately hid underneath his baby blanket, leaving a microscopic hole for him to see exactly what kind of monster lurked outside. In the air the sound of a latch clicked, the door creaking open to reveal the shadowed form of Vegeta briefly checking in on the boys. Goten forgot to breathe as he swore he made eye contact with the fearsome prince through his blanket. Though Vegeta had always been a rather intimidating authority figure, the darkened outline of the elder Saiyan seemed almost malevolent. Even so, Goten heard him hmphed as the door slowly closed once more, and the young boy sighed in relief.

Goten found himself at a crossroad. He certainly would have preferred it if Bulma were the one to be awake; she was always so nice to him. Still, Goten surmised that in the light Vegeta wasn't as scary as he appeared to be in the dark.

Edging off the bottom bunk, the Son boy slowly made contact with the ground, his bare feet reveling the soft carpet in the foreign bedroom. Looking up at his friend in the top bunk, Goten sighed gently at Trunks' drooling face, the sight leaving no doubt that the kid was deep in sleep.

"Trunks," he whispered in hopes that maybe he could wake his slumbering friend, but alas, there was no response. He held his blanket securely, attempting to steady himself.

Determined to try to calm his nerves, the only person Goten knew was awake could be heard adjusting the faucets in the kitchen at the end of the hallway. Braving the dark trek from the bed to the doorway, Goten quickly unlatched the door and shut it behind him, his baby blanket in tow.

Warily, he crept down the long corridor; the silhouettes on the wall from the diminished lighting took shapes of creatures that Goten would see in his nightmares. He gulped as the grip on his blanket stiffened further. The youngest Son forced his focus solely on the light at the end of the hallway, the brightness of the kitchen beckoning the small boy to its entrance.

Upon entering the kitchen, Goten took note of Vegeta standing over the sink, continuously refilling his water glass after drinking it. By the sweat on his brow and the towel around his neck, it was clear the elder Saiyan had just finished training. Goten was about to speak to get the man's attention, but after finishing the mouthful he took from his glass, Vegeta acknowledged his presence.

"Go back to bed, boy," the Saiyan Prince muttered taking another sip of water. "You should be sleeping, not lurking around like a lost puppy."

When he didn't hear an immediate response, Vegeta shifted his frame in Goten's direction. The Son boy cast his sight downwards, continuing to clutch his baby blanket tight. His lower lip trembled, the gnawing sensation of homesickness bubbling up inside. A heavy sigh released into the air. "I can't sleep," Goten confessed, voice barely above a whisper. "I miss my mom and Gohan."

"Tch," Vegeta let out a signature scoff. Leave it to one of Kakarot's offspring to be so needlessly sentimental. "It's one night away from home," he began again, "surely you can handle that."

His tone, while harsh, was his small attempt to be encouraging. Tact was never the prince's forte. The younger Saiyan's face fell, unsure if he could indeed handle such a task.

"Now go back to Trunks' room and quit bothering me," Vegeta finished.

Vegeta gulped down another swig of water and wiped his mouth, assuming when he turned around that Goten would've already heeded his orders. Yet there he stood; the small carbon copy of his great rival, whose eyes bore into him with a sadness that seemed profound. Another scoff escaped his lips.

"Don't be like that," he chided, "where's your Saiyan pride, boy?"

Goten's eyes softened. "My…pride?"

"Yes, pride—do you understand the word?"

"Like lions," the young boy said sweetly. He loved lions! All animals. He just didn't know what kind of lions Saiyans were. Goten always thought Saiyans were more like monkeys. Gohan once told him he had a tail when he was born. How cool that must have been.

"No, like your heritage," Vegeta said sternly. The boy loosened in place, perplexed.

"What's heritage, Uncle Vegeta?"

"I've told you not to call me that."

"Sorry Uncl—I mean Vegeta," Goten sheepishly stumbled, "does it have to do with hair?"

"No," Vegeta sneered, "it's who you are. A Saiyan."

"So, my harry-tage—"

"Heritage."

Goten winced at the correction. "My heritage," he correctly repeated this time, "that's also…my pride?"

Vegeta put his glass in the dishwasher and walked over to the boy. He folded his arms in disapproval, the furrowing of his brows intimidating Goten even more up close. "You really know nothing about any of it, do you?" the Saiyan Prince asked him pointedly.

The hybrid sunk his head. "I'm sorry," Goten felt dumb with the larger man standing over him like that.

"Suppose it's to be expected with that mother of yours and your brother's nose buried in some book," he muttered loud enough for Goten to hear, but the boy was too young to understand. Vegeta sighed. "You really shouldn't be up, Goten. Go back to sleep."

He started to take off, but Goten's head was still staring at the floor. The prince rolled his eyes. "That wasn't a suggestion," Vegeta muttered, annoyed. Goten finally looked upwards, big puppy dog eyes meeting the harsh gaze peering down on him.

"Can you tuck me in, Vegeta?"

"Can't you tuck yourself in, brat?"

"No silly," Goten said with a light laugh, "I'm the kid. Kids don't tuck themselves in."

Silly?! How dare he call me that, the Saiyan Prince thought. "Didn't Bulma already tuck you both in?"

"I'm not in bed anymore though—my mommy always tucks me in again."

Vegeta sneered.

"Let me guess, your mother prepares you a glass of warm milk and reads you a bedtime story? Perhaps when she tucks you in, she sings you a lullaby?"

"She does!"

His sarcastic tone was absolutely lost on the boy. Vegeta groaned as his palm flattened on his forehead to his chin. The dark eyes of the prince focused on the child's own set, seeing a look that reminded him far too much of Kakarot. As if his appearance wasn't enough!

"I'm not about to prepare you a drink nor am I singing," Vegeta continued, his voice severe. When the young boy hung his head in defeat, it struck a chord. A resigned sigh released from the older Saiyan's gut. "Though I suppose I can tell you a quick story," he added.

"Yay! A story!" Goten beamed, happily appeased.

"This is only so you get to bed and stop pestering me," Vegeta retorted, "especially since you are woefully unaware of your own culture."

"What's cul—"

"Goten," the stern gaze of the prince quickly silenced the younger halfling. As Vegeta strolled passed him, Goten remained in place, prompting the other man to stop when he realized he wasn't being followed. "What now?"

Arms raised, blanket clutched in hand, Goten faced Vegeta with a knowing look.

"I'm not carrying you."

Immediately, the boy set his arms down and ran up to catch the prince as he resumed making his way towards his son's room.

They reached their destination, Vegeta putting a finger to his lips to remind Goten to be quiet. His eager nodding assured the prince that he was understood. Snoring away, Trunks was still out cold on the top bunk as Goten and Vegeta settled on the bottom bunk. At the far edge of the bed, the elder Saiyan folded his arm, maintaining a fair distance away from the boy.

This did little to deter Goten, who leaned in clutching his blanket around his knees as Vegeta started to share some riveting tale from old Saiyan lore.

He talked of the days of Planet Sadala, the original legend of the Super Saiyan, the extremely edited version of his days brokering planets…soon Vegeta realized he had more than ample material to keep the boy interested. Before he knew it, nearly twenty minutes had passed.

Vegeta half-expected the young Son to be drifting into sleep, yet the boy's absorbed attention impressed the stoical warrior. Trunks usually was entertained for the first few minutes but would soon lose interest. Goten hung onto every word out of the Saiyan Prince's mouth. Of course, the boy had his own questions too.

"Where is Planet Sadala?"

"It doesn't exist anymore."

"What about Planet Vegeta?"

"It also doesn't exist anymore."

The dark-haired elder was about to scold the child for being a nuisance and interrupting him, until one last question took him by surprise.

"Unc—I mean, Vegeta," Goten began, his fingers gripping his blanket tightly.

"What now Goten?"

"Will we ever meet more Saiyans?" Goten wondered, eyes beginning to droop with fatigue.

White-knuckled at the mattress' edge, Vegeta looked down, knowing the answer already. "No," he responded somewhat too bluntly. Caught in his throat was a low sigh. "They're all dead."

Dead was a harsh word for a toddler yes, but true, nonetheless. A beat of silence passed as the Saiyan Prince was deep in thought. Though exhausted, one of Goten's eyes remained open to try and catch the older man's gaze. His quiet breathing stalled for a moment.

"Like my daddy?" the boy questioned softly.

This promptly caused Vegeta to meet Goten where he lay, a flicker of regret evident on his face. He hesitated a moment before responding. "Yes," the prince relayed almost inaudibly.

Goten's eyes flashed for a millisecond, nearly imperceptible, but then slowly closed completely; he snuggled into the pillow with his ever-faithful blanket at his side. Exhaling a deep breath, the young boy displayed a small smile, much to the surprise of Vegeta.

"Maybe they're all friends up there," he suggested innocently, "and they get to fight and play all day together."

Vegeta was struck by the optimistic comment from the child. The likelihood of many Saiyans keeping their body was slim to none, but Vegeta reasoned that even few might have made it through. A pleased smirk returned to his visage. The thought of Kakarot blithering about with his forefathers, who'd likely be confused out of their damned minds, brought no small amount of amusement to him.

"Maybe," he said quietly. Goten's ears perked up at the notion that his idea could be correct. The dark-haired man cleared his throat. "Now get to bed," he instructed tersely getting up to leave.

"Thanks for the story, Uncle Vegeta…"

Vegeta was about to correct the boy again, but as he faced him, all he saw was his peaceful form, not much different from his own child in the bunk above, starting to drift to sleep with a wide smile. A smile that certainly hadn't been there earlier in the evening. The gruff man brayed but didn't say anything this occasion, letting the comment slide. His silent acknowledgement that perhaps there were still some who appreciated the near forgotten stories of the past.

He stepped lightly towards the door, looking back one last time. Vegeta often pondered what this next generation would do with the legacy of the Saiyans. The prince knew he wouldn't be around forever, and with his death, he worried the entire race's heritage would die with him. It was hard to imagine Trunks carrying on that torch, despite his greatest wish that he would. Yet, a faint glimmer of hope shone as the moonlight hit Goten's young face, freshly drifting into slumber. The excitement he demonstrated made Vegeta think that perhaps all was not lost; perhaps the Saiyan legacy could live on if someone cared enough.

How curious that the son of his greatest rival could be the one to do just that.

---

Vegeta was brought back from his daydream of the past when the laughter of his children combined with Goten's filled the air. It took a minute for the Saiyan Prince to reassess where he was, having been particularly deep in thought. In the yard near the hanger, the group was gathered to travel to Souljin, awaiting the finishing adjustments to the spaceship. Most of the human Z Fighters were unavailable or disinterested in a monthlong stay on a foreign planet, yet the next generation seemed especially taken with the opportunity.

Bulma was happy to show off her latest luxury spacecraft model to everyone in attendance. State of the art engine and facilities, this certainly was an impressive ship. Two floors with plenty of bedrooms on each, complete with its own gravity room, kitchen, entertainment area, laboratory and gym—the next couple of days journey to Souljin would at least be in style.

Those traveling consisted of Vegeta's family, Goku, Gohan, Goten, Pan, Marron, Uub, and Piccolo. Both Chi-Chi and Videl decided to stay behind, the former due to feeling a bit out of her element with the long trek and the latter to keep her company and ensure her father's dojo didn't burn to the ground without her. Piccolo would've rather stayed on Earth but had been persuaded by Gohan to tag along. Though Krillin was skeptical of letting his baby girl travel without either him or Eighteen, Marron insisted she would be fine without them. If his work schedule had not been so demanding, and if Eighteen possessed a desire to go without him, the two would have been open to the idea.

The way Vegeta saw it though, the less people going the better.

He hardly had time to monitor everyone's decorum and thanked his lucky stars that the usual miscreants of Yamcha, Hercule, and Majin Buu all had the foresight to remain on Earth. Yamcha would have been Yamcha, and that was far too much for Vegeta's taste. It gave Vegeta a headache just thinking about Buu attempting to interact with foreign dignitaries. The royal knew part of this upcoming reunion would deal with some political discussions and he didn't need to be worrying about some fool mucking it all up.

Meanwhile, Bulma was droning on about her workers trying to get the spaceship ready for launch, but the prince was in his own little world. His attention was completely captivated by the scene before him. As his children continued to joke around with his rival's second son, Vegeta reflected on what a constant fixture Goten had been in their lives.

Nearly joined at the hip, Goten and Trunks had been best friends since birth. Even with Goten having his own brother, it was apparent how close the two were. Vegeta questioned if this ever played into the slight responsibility he on occasion felt for the young man. With Kakarot dead those first seven years of his life, Goten was left without a true father figure; his older brother still just a child himself. His maternal grandfather a kind but utterly hopeless fool (so Vegeta thought) and his mother could wake the dead with her ferocity. Vegeta shuddered at the notion of growing up in a home with Chi-Chi at the helm.

He never went out of his way to provide for the boy, but on the off-chance Goten was unable to sleep when he spent the night, Vegeta sporadically shared stories of the Saiyans to the willing child. For a time, he sparred with Goten as a teenager when Kakarot had yet again vanished for a period of time. And while it was a rare occurrence for Goten and Trunks to get too seriously in trouble, Vegeta had no qualms about disciplining the Son man when needed. In fact, that was something he enjoyed immensely. Too few people feared him these days.

Reflecting yet again in his direction, Vegeta silently simmered. The spitting image of Kakarot, save with a touch more common sense, Goten excelled when it came to social situations. While his intelligence wasn't on the same level as Gohan, it was clear he had a better understanding of other people; something even the Saiyan Prince admired in a way.

Yet, the boy squandered it on an active dating life and a cushy job that required no real thought nor effort. "Tch," Vegeta muttered under his breath. For all the potential he carried, Goten had a lack of drive along with a penchant for hedonistic endeavors. A fatal flaw in the prince's opinion. Capability meant nothing if it were to not be cultivated. What a waste of what could be, he thought.

Not that everyone saw it that way.

"Goten, you're such a goof…"

The sweet timbre of his daughter's voice brought the Saiyan Prince out of his reverie. Her laughter rang out like a melody, a characteristic she most certainly inherited from Bulma rather than himself. He took note that Trunks had meandered over towards the blonde spawn of Krillin and Eighteen, leaving Bulla and Goten all alone. Vegeta continued to watch as the youngest hybrid playfully pushed on Goten's chest, the man's own laughter joining hers. The royal felt his set of orbs race to the back of his head.

He wasn't blind; his daughter had been smitten with the second Son man from the time she could crawl. Even Bulla's childhood stuffed animal was named after him. Though she would outwardly deny it whenever the subject was brought up, Vegeta knew nothing had changed. The brat's constant appearance in the Briefs household did little to help there, both from her formative years and her teenage ones. Still, Goten never seemed to want to explore that avenue, no doubt likely due to their age difference and his connection to their family. Even if he had expressed some notion of interest, Vegeta would've deterred him immediately.

In spite of this, as soon as she turned eighteen, Bulla seemed to have a completely different connection with Goten. Her shyness grew more confident, more commanding. The sheer presence of the princess was felt by all around her, Goten being no exception to this phenomenon. Were Vegeta a less observant man, he may not have noticed the diminished fraternal quality to their association, but rarely anything got past him. There was a change; and while he had no definitive proof of anything, the suspicious behavior he observed recently from the two halflings certainly had him on guard. Vegeta had his inklings, though.

Bulla's birthday in particular was a telling evening. Since that night, he paid more attention to his daughter's increasingly distracted behavior. Time to time, she'd vanish without so much as a word, only to return unannounced hours later. It certainly had the pureblood on high alert.

Perhaps their bond was indeed familial and perhaps that is all it would ever be. At his core though, Vegeta could see it clear as day: Bulla was far from the only one of the two hybrids visibly taken with the other.

"Vegeta!"

His attention turned to the shrill voice of his wife, who was tapping her foot in annoyance. "Were you even listening to a thing I said?" Bulma asked, her frustration evident. There was too much that had to be done for the launch to waste time reexplaining herself.

"Apologies," he answered with zero enthusiasm, but for the prince to express regret, even with the improper tone, Bulma was impressed. "Continue," Vegeta followed up with. While he listened to her a little more attentively than before, the Saiyan never took his eyes off the third-class warrior.

Across the way, however, his staring did not go undetected.

"Why do I get the feeling your dad is always watching me?" Goten said carefully to the blue-haired woman at his side. Bulla watched her father in the distance before returning her gaze towards Goten, a broad smile forming.

"Because he probably is," she answered with a wicked glean. The bluette took no small amount of joy at seeing Goten out of sorts.

Ever since their encounter after the Souljin Ambassadors arrived, things had mellowed out a bit for the two. Their mutual understanding of the other's attraction almost made it easier to be around each other. Bulla was glad the awkwardness subsided; she missed being able to joke with Goten and was thrilled at the prospect of continuing their friendship. And yet, even though that part was true, a small iota of hope planted in her heart than perhaps this trip might yield some developments in other areas of their connection.

Goten smirked slightly at her retort. "The watchful eye of a Saiyan Prince," he began again, "leaves me no room for error."

"I think you'll manage just fine," Bulla said, confident in his abilities.

"Yeah?" Goten's signature family grin grew wide in amusement. "Gonna protect me with that Saiyan Princess juju if I can't?"

Bulla groaned. "Not you too," she continued in an exasperated tone, "I have to hear it enough from Trunks!"

His chuckling did little to change the princess' bothered look. "Well, the man has a point," Goten added, "you do tend to have an effect on people."

Turquoise eyes twinkled with interest. "Oh?" Bulla wondered, inching in just a bit closer. Goten's face subsided from playful to stoic at the newfound closeness. She tilted her head upwards, giving him the ideal view of her irises. "So tell me," the heiress resumed, "what kind of effect do I have on you?"

A sharp breath sliced the thick tension in half. Goten, with a learned restraint, remained in place; not leaning into the princess despite her ever-looming figure edging further into his frame. His jaw tightened, the faintest strain on his muscles. Another more controlled inhale steadied the older hybrid as he turned away, a satisfied grin upon his face.

"Wouldn't you like to know," he murmured almost to himself, but still enough for the bluette to hear. Without moving his head, Goten's eyes once more glanced at the Saiyan Princess, whose leer increased in size.

"Maybe I would," she sang.

They both contemplated each other with bemused expressions. An almost challenging standoff, the two stifled a laugh. Goten found himself unconsciously trailing down the princess' frame, taking in the skintight white tank she was wearing. And certainly, taking in with how it also perfectly cupped her cleavage…

"Goten!"

The bellowing bark from Vegeta across the way broke his concentration as the elder halfling gulped in response. "Er, yeah Vegeta?" he asked with slight concern.

A large piece of luggage was chucked at the man as he dropped his own bag to catch it. "Make yourself useful and start bringing these inside," Vegeta instructed curtly. He turned his focus to his daughter, but said nothing, even as she evaded eye contact. Goten nodded in compliance as he set forth with his new task. Vegeta followed him as he gave one last glance in Bulla's direction before heading away.

Part of Bulla was amused to see Goten so subservient to her father, but the other part of her speculated if Vegeta's request was intentional. She sighed, sad that her playful banter was cut short, before joining her mother to prepare for takeoff.

…

"Chi, you sure you don't want to come with us?" Goku asked sweetly. He rubbed the back of his head. "I don't want you to feel like we're abandoning you here!"

"Nonsense," Chi-Chi waved her hand. She smoothed the fabric of her husband's shirt for him. "You Saiyans can go and have fun—this will give me a little peace and quiet for a change," his wife insisted. With a dubious look from Goku, she contorted her face. "Believe me, I won't be mad," Chi-Chi promised to her doubting mate. "Behave yourself though! I don't need you causing a ruckus on a foreign planet."

"Oh," Goku returned a little disappointedly, hoping she might change her mind. Sensing this, Chi-Chi grasped his chin.

"I'll miss you though, you big lug," she said kissing him on the cheek. Within seconds, she felt Goku's strong arms wrap her tightly.

"I'll miss you more, Chi-Chi," Goku whispered back.

Her face flushed at her husband being so candidly affectionate for once. Chi-Chi let herself enjoy the moment, a bit saddened at the thought of her family going off-planet for a while, but happy for their chance to go on a new adventure and her opportunity for some relaxation. Clearing her throat, she pressed her hand to his cheek once more before grabbing a giant box of food for him to take on board much to Goku's great delight.

"Same goes for you, Videl," Gohan turned to his own wife as they said their goodbyes. "The invitation was for everyone, not just Saiyans," he continued.

Videl beamed at his thoughtfulness. "Someone's got to make sure your mother isn't all by herself," she maintained, "besides, Dad would utterly lose it if both Goten and I left—the dojo would probably fall apart!"

"True," Gohan contended, his tone still somewhat sad.

She kissed him gently on the lips as her arms found their way around his neck. "This will be a great opportunity for all of you though," Videl assured, "think of all the research you'll have access to alone. Plus, learning a whole new culture—that's right up your alley, dear."

Her husband's grip tightened around her as he felt a swell of pride at Videl's genuine nature. "I love you," Gohan murmured before kissing her once more, a little longer this time. The two stared into each other's eyes until a choking sound broke them out of their trance.

"Gross," Pan gagged as she gathered her bags, "please get a room."

Their offspring shook her head at the public display of affection from her parents to which they both chuckled quietly to themselves. "One day Pan you'll understand," Videl said kindly to her near-adult child. She briefly winked at Uub who was blushing behind her daughter. The young man quickly found himself another task to do, while Pan closed her eyes, missing the interaction in its entirety.

"Please," she countered with a snort, "that'll be the day."

Her mother laughed as she hugged Pan to say goodbye. "Be good," she instructed kissing her on the temple. Pan softened at the gesture and returned the embrace.

"I will, Mama," she promised.

She squeezed her one last time before release. Videl turned her attention to the green Namekian leaning against a nearby wall. "Piccolo, you'll make sure they'll be okay, right?" the concerned wife asked in a manner that already seemed to know the answer.

Piccolo sighed. "Should have known the reason I'm on this trip is to play babysitter yet again," he said with little enthusiasm.

"Aw, c'mon Piccolo—you always do such a great job of it!" Gohan teased his mentor. When he opened one eye as his reaction, Piccolo made sure to remain unamused. A nervous chortle passed through the halfling. "Besides, I'll think you'll find the experience worthwhile! Not often an all-expense paid vacation to another planet comes along."

Rolling his eyes, Piccolo exhaled once more, no other protests left. "I'll be sure to keep them out of trouble for you, Videl," he promised flatly, which made Gohan's wife beam with contentment.

Nearby, Marron was having trouble separating herself from her parents who were hesitant about letting her go by herself.

"You sure you want to go all alone, Marron?" Krillin asked his daughter sweetly. Marron gleamed at his protectiveness.

"Dad, I'll be fine—I'm hardly going alone!"

"Still…" Krillin trailed off.

He turned to his wife who also had her own doubts. "If you a certain about this Marron, we will be supportive," Eighteen insisted, her hand lovingly on her husband's back as she spoke for them both. "It's just not something we are used to seeing from you."

"Mom," she answered happily, "remember, it's my year of new things! I want to do this. Sure, it'll be a little scary and out of my comfort zone, but that's part of the experience."

Both of her parents looked at each other warily before Marron encased them both in a hug. "I'll miss you both," their daughter murmured. They returned the embrace with great strength, silently conveying the same. The moment ended when the trio heard Trunks' clearing his throat inches away.

"Krillin," he nodded, "Eighteen."

Marron was facing the opposite way, but remained impartial in her expression when she made out his voice. Though Krillin smiled immediately, Eighteen's eyes narrowed in on the halfling, unsettling him severely. All of Marron's feistiness came from her and while he was certain Marron hadn't shared the details of their passionate encounter with anyone else, Trunks had the gnawing sensation that Eighteen somehow knew he defiled her daughter.

That thought alone was enough to get his insides twisted with fear.

"Trunks," Eighteen countered flatly.

"Trunks," Krillin cleared his throat, "you'll be sure to watch over my Marron, won't you?"

An immediate reply was not to be as the request prompted the demi-Saiyan to stammer a bit. Trunks found himself staring at the blonde in question with a light flush on his cheeks. She refused to look him directly in the eye, but her own countenance had reddened. Though he knew she was still angry with him, the hybrid would do anything to keep her safe. Clearing his throat, Trunks simply said, "With my life."

The words surprised Marron but seemed to delight her father who gave the younger Saiyan's hand a squeeze.

"I owe you one," Krillin admitted. He nudged the other man's stomach with a cheeky grin. "You'll have to let us know how these Souljin women are," the former monk joked with tightened eyes. Leaning into an already blushing Trunks, Krillin whispered, "Who knows? Maybe you'll come back with one!"

The comment made Marron pout, and before the embarrassed Trunks could respond, Eighteen started to tug on her husband's ear to lead him away, much to Krillin's disappointment. "Dear," she said tartly, "let's let the kids get ready to depart. I'm sure you can talk shop with Roshi later."

Grateful for the save, Trunks began to smile again. That is, until he noticed the glaring figure of his lifelong friend and one time paramour.

"What do you want?" Marron questioned in a biting manner.

Trunks sighed. "Mare," he began, "I don't want to leave for this trip with us at odds," he said with candor. Her face softened as it became apparent how sincere Trunks was with his words. Nevertheless, she didn't want to let him get away with his behavior.

"Trunks, you really embarrassed me," she expressed, crossing her arms. "In front of a prince!"

"I was wrong for that," Trunks acknowledged, "I'm sorry."

The beautiful woman focused on the ground below, her voice growing quiet. "You know," she whispered, "you've been a pretty crappy friend since well…since that night…"

Marron didn't have to say anything more for Trunks to understand the hidden clandestineness between the two. Both had twinges of pink formulating on their cheekbones. "I do know," he replied in earnest. The lavender-haired man put his hands in his pockets. "I know that I've been an asshole, and I know nothing I can say can change that, but I promise Marron I'm going to work on being better."

While she was not entirely unconvinced, her arms remained folded. "I just want my friend back," his blonde companion confessed. She finally met his blue eyes. "I just want us to move forward," she stated with a quiet poise.

Before he could respond, Bulma's authoritative voice rang out across the yard, courtesy of the megaphone in her hand. "Everyone! We're going to be boarding soon—departure is at 11:00am sharp! That's in ten minutes! Grab your bags and get ready to leave."

With everyone else distracted with the impending embarkment, Trunks leaned in even closer to Marron, not finished with their earlier conversation. "I want to move forward too," he promised. He took her hand and interlocked his fingers with her. "Fresh start?"

Butterflies flew aflutter in her trembling stomach, and Marron would have sworn it was nausea at first but believed in Trunks with all her heart. She never could say no to him, for better or worse. "Fresh start," the blonde agreed with a tight grip. The demi-Saiyan smiled at her with his own striking set of teeth.

"Good," he said with a final tug on her hand.

As their fingers unclasped, Marron lightly punched him on the shoulder. "But you aren't allowed to bring up any embarrassing stories from here on out, you got it?" she demanded, looking frighteningly similar to Eighteen in that moment. "Especially in front of royalty."

Trunks put two of his digits in the air and crossed his heart. "I, Trunks Vegeta Briefs, solemnly swear to only say true and honest things about you, Marron Chestnut," he swore. His cheeky grin almost had Marron doubting, but she was going to hold him to his promise.

"Folks! This isn't a drill. We are leaving!"

Marron turned to Trunks to accept his oath to her. "And one last thing," she said boldly, "no more telling lies about anything having to do with my stomach."

"Hey, that was true and honest," he admitted.

"It is not!" Marron insisted, folding her arms. Not wanting to start any arguments after making up, Trunks shrugged and smiled.

"Whatever you say, Mare. Whatever you say."

"You'll eat those words when you see how well I do on this spaceship…"

---

Ten minutes into their flight, Marron ate her own words. Well, regurgitated them at least…

Hunkered over the toilet with Bulla holding her hair back, Marron emptied whatever remnants of breakfast she had into the porcelain throne before her. Pan winced against the wall, sympathetic to her friend's plight but keeping her distance. Bulla even turned her head as Marron continuously retched, praying that she wouldn't get sick by proxy.

"Oh Marron," Bulla trying desperately to avoid looking, "we really have got to do something about your motion sickness."

Pan made a face also attempting to not watch Marron's misfortune. "Guess Trunks wasn't exactly wrong," she murmured turning a subtle shade of green.

"Hey!" Bulla snapped her fingers with a free hand. "Not you too—I can only handle one sick passenger at a time!"

Pan brought her hand to her mouth trying to obey Bulla's command as best she could, still a little greenish. The bluette returned her attention back to Marron. She sympathetically rubbed the puking woman's back.

Her blonde friend groaned, still headfirst in the toilet bowl. "Don't…" she began weakly, "don't…tell your brother about this…"

As she finished her miserable bout of puking, Marron slowly rose to her feet, Bulla continuing to hold her friend's hair back.

"Wouldn't dream of giving him a win," Bulla promised. The two non-afflicted women helped Marron clean up. The golden-haired woman tapped both of them on the arms to silently convey her gratitude. While her history with the boys may have been a little more extensive, she was thankful for her little sisterhood.

They left the bathroom linking together as they often did, but truthfully, Marron appreciated the extra balance. Everything would have been fine, except what awaited them behind the door.

To her sheer horror, Marron realized Trunks was standing outside the restroom as the three women appeared before him. The self-satisfied smirk on his face was telling, and Marron was too tired to deal with his smugness.

"Go ahead," she began, "just say it."

"Here," he said, pulling a glass of water from behind his back, "thought you could use this."

This surprised all three of them, unlinking arms in the process. Both Pan and Bulla were shocked at the kind display from the eldest half-Saiyan, but none more so than Marron, who was convinced he would have been gloating about being right.

"Oh—"

"Thought you might be a little thirsty," Trunks stated, not mentioning her motion sickness at all. He gestured for her to take the glass. After careful scrutiny, Marron took it from his hand and couldn't help but curl her lips.

This was definitely him trying.

---

Situated at a desk in the open concept kitchen, Gohan was studying various documents sprawled out before him. With Bulma tinkering in the spaceship's lab, he was making use of the extra space to go over the data the two had been analyzing for some time now. Between some of the new pieces graciously given by Souljin's scientists and what they had already collected on their own, it was an impressive amount of information to research. Always one to be caught up in his work, Gohan didn't realize he had been joined by someone else.

"Out here by yourself?" the elder Son brother heard from behind, instantly recognizing the voice as Goten. He turned to see his brother grinning widely, a near perfect clone of his father, save for the hairstyle.

"Bulma's in the lab, Vegeta's in the gravity room, Dad already ate everything Mom gave him and is in a food coma," Gohan seemed to say in one breath, "and Piccolo is meditating until we reach Souljin."

Goten was amused by his brother's pointed answer. "You know Gohan," he began again. "You're technically our generation too. You don't have to stay down here alone; you could come up and join us if you want. With Videl back home, I'm sure you'd like the company."

Gohan quietly laughed to himself as he looked up from the documents and tablet in his hands, an amused crinkling of his eyes. "It's funny," he started off, "I've always felt a little older than I am."

"Oh yeah?" Goten pulled up a bar stool and joined his sibling at the table.

"Yeah," Gohan nodded as he removed his glasses to wipe them. "I suppose hanging out with Dad and his friends since childhood will do that to you."

He reflected fondly on his unusual upbringing with Piccolo oh so caringly abducting him as a toddler and then jet-setting off to Namek at five. Gohan had lived a pretty full life before ever reaching puberty. Even as he approached adulthood, he found himself married and with a kid far earlier than he expected. His entire existence was comprised of reaching milestones well before others his age. The eldest Son brother returned his newly cleaned spectacles to his face. "Besides," he said with a wave of his hand, "Pan's a bit closer with most of you guys age wise and I don't want to cramp her style."

"Ah, so you admit you're an old man then," Goten teased with a nudge. Gohan closed his eyes, the softest smirk forming on his lips, only to kick the bar stool out from under Goten. His brother barely caught himself to hop off the stool in the nick of time.

"An old man that can still kick your butt any day of the week," the scholar retorted in victory.

Goten rolled his eyes. "Yeah, whatever helps you sleep at night," he answered, resituating himself on the bar stool. Immediately, his attention was brought to the various documents before them. He grabbed a couple of papers and shuffled them in his hands. "So, what exactly have you been looking at here?" the younger man wondered, curiosity piqued.

Fetching his tablet, Gohan brought some additional data onto the screen. "Prince Zasso managed to put us in contact with Souljin's head scientist Dr. Niwa," Gohan explained. The firstborn enlarged one of the tables he had been reviewing so Goten could see more clearly. "They've been doing their fair share of genetics research for some time now," he continued on. "Everything from medical marvels to genealogy to Saiyan and Souljin history," the older demi-Saiyan spoke, "and I have to say I'm impressed."

Though science was never quite his forte, Goten analyzed the screen with intent, occasionally gazing down at the documents in his hand. Most of what was in front of him looked akin to hieroglyphics, however, and he felt a bit foolish with his attempt. "It's all a bit over my head," the younger halfling professed. Gohan smiled at his brother.

"You've always been a bit more of a hands-on learner, Goten; no shame in that," Gohan responded with encouragement. With appreciation for his sibling's steadfast support, the corners of Goten's lips turned upwards. While he would occasionally feel the sting of jealousy when it came to Gohan's intelligence and success, his brother was still his greatest advocate. The scholar handed him a couple distinct documents, the names of all the Saiyan hybrids prominently displayed.

"What's this?"

"Our own research on Saiyan genes."

Goten lowered the document to look at his brother directly. "Since when do we have research on us?" he marveled with fascination.

"Bulma and I have been working on it for a few years now," Gohan admitted. Gathering a few more documents, the dark-eyed man displayed several more data tables. "We have mostly treated it as a little side project, although these last couple of weeks we've been pouring over it in preparation for this trip. May I?"

Lightly taking the manuscripts from his brother's hands, Gohan also laid those out bare for them to observe together. "The Souljins have fairly diluted Saiyan blood, yet they've retained some prominent traits such as their tails, in spite of those having no effect on them in the moonlight," he began confidently. Goten admired his brother's brain, even if it was sometimes the cause of envy. Gohan met his gaze once more and brought two documents in particular to the forefront. "It's curious that human blood mixed Saiyan blood had almost an opposite effect. Traits like hair color and tails were less affected, but the genes themselves seemed to respond more harmoniously to Earthling DNA."

"Out of the four halflings, I was the only one born with a tail," Gohan added, knowing Goten already knew that factoid, but said it for clarity's sake. "What's interesting though is if you look at my DNA compared to the rest of yours, I actually have genomes that tend to favor the human side."

"Wouldn't we all have the same amount of Saiyan and human genes though?" Goten questioned astutely. "I mean, the term half-Saiyans made me think it was all half and half."

"Well racially yes," Gohan acknowledged, "we are one-part Saiyan and one-part human. But DNA is a bit richer than that; there are traits and genomes we inherit from each parent, and so it's always going to be different even amongst siblings. For instance—"

Gohan grabbed the sheet that had Goten's photo and genetic information. "You're not only more favorable to the Saiyan side compared to me, but also compared to Trunks and Bulla as well," he showed pointing to some intricate numbers that made little sense to his brother.

"Me?" Goten blinked with rapt attention.

"Yep," the other demi-Saiyan nodded in agreement. "More of Dad's chromosomal traits can be found in your genetic material compared to more of Mom's in mine.

Goten studied this particular page, trying to see what Gohan was seeing. He bit his lip, doing his best to analyze it all. With his silent state, his sibling continued.

"On top of that, we've identified a particular set of genomes known as S-Cells, which we believe have something to do with activating the Super Saiyan form. With you being the youngest Super Saiyan in history, I wasn't surprised to see that you also seemed to possess the highest amount of S-Cells, though all of us share a fair amount."

Furrowing his brows, Goten turned to his brother once more. "S-Cells? Do all Saiyans have them?"

"Compared to Dad and Vegeta, all of us have more than they did, since it does appear to be related more so to those being born in times of peace and with a gentler nature."

Both brothers chuckled at the last comment. "Gentle is not a word I associate with Vegeta," Goten said with a grin.

"Lucky for you he's in the ship's gravity room with Bulla," Gohan kidded, nudging his younger sibling. "Both Dad and Vegeta were Super Saiyans though by the time you and Bulla were born, whereas Trunks and I were conceived prior to that transformation."

"So, you think that also affected things?"

"I do," Gohan replied, "Bulma and I both seem to agree that S-Cells have both a nature and a nurture element. The times of peace play a factor, but when a Saiyan transforms, they possess a high number of S-Cells. Those don't go away completely on their own, even after powering down. They just lie dormant. If both of you were born after that transmutation, it stands to reason it likely played a factor. This isn't concrete mind you, but based on what we've been examining, it seems as probable a cause as any."

A new sheet appeared with Bulla's information. "What's interesting to me is that for as much as Bulla favors her mother physically, genetically she aligns closer to Vegeta. And compared to Trunks, she also has more S-Cells," Gohan explained. Goten studied the data absentmindedly, mostly focusing on the pretty headshot of Bulla that was associated with the documentation. Without turning, he could sense his brother looking intently at him. A somewhat amused expression formed on his face. The other half-Saiyan didn't say anything, but it was clear his mind was mulling with different theories as to why.

To distract his older sibling from speculating any further, Goten asked, "What do you think that means for Bulla then?"

Gohan leaned back in his chair, pondering. "It wouldn't surprise me if Bulla has an aptitude for fighting even with less training than say, Pan for example," he conceded. "Given her genetics and the amount of S-Cells she's in possession of, I don't think it would actually take much for her to go Super Saiyan. Pan is only a quarter-Saiyan and while she has a lot of natural skill, with her lack of being able to reach that pinnacle yet, I do believe genetics likely has to play some factor there. Obviously, don't tell that to Pan, but if Bulla wanted to, she could very well surpass her."

To the best of his ability, Goten tried to remain detached to the response so that Bulla's hidden talent wasn't discovered by his brother. "Interesting," he remarked quietly, not tearing his eyes off her chart.

"Could you imagine, Goten?" Gohan asked with his hands behind his head. "A female Super Saiyan in our universe. That would be something, right?"

Looking one last time at Bulla's data sheet, Goten gazed in the direction of the spaceship's gravity room further down the hall where he knew she was. The gentlest smile crept on his face.

"Yeah," he whispered mostly to himself, "definitely something."

---

"Good!" Vegeta exclaimed as he matched his daughter blow for blow. "Your dexterity is improving."

Bulla unleashed a primal yell as she threw her energy into a powerful strike. When she realized she caught him by surprise with the move, the princess grinned. "Just putting what you've taught me into practice," she accredited.

He launched a kick that met her back with great force, slamming her across the room. "Is that so?"

While she was down, the Saiyan Prince put his hands together, a purple light blazing between them. Bulla instantly saw the glowing orb and hopped to her feet to counter the attack. Her two hands took a much different stance than her father, absentmindedly resorting to the most recent ki technique in her head.

"Ka—"

Vegeta's eyes widened as he began his blast, "Galick—"

Bulla immediately corrected, switching at the last minute to a different technique. "Final—"

"GUN!"

Before she could finish, her father's energy plummeted to the ground to knock her on her back. The defeated daughter moaned loudly, signaling to the older Saiyan she was not getting up on her own. His face didn't hide his annoyance as he floated down near the flattened princess.

"The next time you hesitate could be the last time, Bulla."

Remaining on the floor trying to catch her breath, the heiress unearthed a discontented groan. "I know, I know," she asserted, still attempting to inhale at a normal rate.

Vegeta scoffed. "Oh, do you?" he asked extending his hand to lift her up to her feet. "Were this a real fight, you wouldn't be breathing right now, girl."

She kept her eyes on the ground, knowing he was right. Her father emitted a huff of air. "None of my fights are ever real, Dad," Bulla responded quietly, pensive at the fact she was so inexperienced in that department.

His trademark frown tempered. "One day they will be," he said as a promise. Bulla lifted her head to meet his intense dark eyes. Vegeta did not break contact. "I want you to take this seriously," he continued, "forgetting to form the right blast is not a luxury you can afford in battle."

The halfling's stare widened at the comment. Though she barely got out a "Ka" for her almost attempted Kamehameha Wave, surely, he couldn't have noticed? Yet, his remark felt much too specific for it to be random. "You've got so many moves, Dad," she tried to pacify, "hard to remember them all."

"Remember them," he said sharply. "Don't let yourself become a target because of spending too much time in your head."

Maybe he didn't catch it?

"I will," she remedied.

"Good," Vegeta stated before standing about-face. "Now leave me," he continued, "I want to train alone."

His daughter blinked at the sudden shooing but understood her father's desire for solitude. She shook her head up and down and made her way outside. The lock clicked almost as soon as she closed the door.

Slumping down in exhaustion, Bulla groaned. How could she have been so careless? Stupid move, Bulla—he was already suspicious of things and that was too close a call, she mentally berated herself.

The bluette tightly hugged her legs and groaned into her knees. While she was aware of her father's adept ability to filter out falsehood, she didn't need to give him any ammunition. She just hoped she didn't put Goten in a difficult position should her father decide to turn any ire towards him.

"Hey B-Chan!"

Speak of the devil. Angel. Whatever he was.

She shifted her attention to the smiling hybrid waving at her down the hall. Without trying, he always managed to look so handsome when he had that stupid grin on his face. It made her heart skip a beat.

"You okay?" Goten questioned gently.

Bulla returned a soft smile. "Yeah, I'm fine," she contended. The aqua-haired woman heaved a heavy breath. She spared the details of her little slipup but gave a half-truth. "Dad just went at me pretty hard today," Bulla added.

"I'm sure you gave him a run for his money," Goten grinned, fully confident the same Bulla who caught him off guard only weeks ago could keep up with her father.

"Doubtful," Bulla retorted, still a faint beam gracing her visage.

Goten inched downwards to join her on the floor. He playfully bumped the heiress prompting a hidden laugh to bubble out from her throat. "Nah, don't kid yourself," he began again, "you've come a long way in just a couple months."

"Laying it on pretty thick there, Son."

"Just speaking the truth, Princess."

The two of them glanced at each other once more, both content to be in the presence of one another. Amidst admiring the sole dimple in his cheek, a warmth flooded her chest. He always had a way of making her feel cherished, even if it was just small bouts of encouragement. "Thanks Goten," she stated appreciating his obsidian orbs and how they had the potential to pierce through her entirely.

Gently placing his hand on her knee, he squeezed tightly, signature smile bare for her to see. "Anytime," the other half-Saiyan answered with charm.

She allowed herself a moment to absorb the feel of his palm on her body. Knowing her suspicious father lingered just behind them, Bulla made the difficult decision to end the contact as she slowly rose upwards, with Goten not far behind her. "I'm going to clean off the shame of my ass-beating," the bluette partially joked, "but I'll see you soon."

"When you're done, come back upstairs. I think we're going to play some card games," he said, hands in his pockets.

Bulla laughed as she walked in the direction of the locker room. "A thousand zeni my brother accuses someone of cheating tonight," she playfully retorted with a wink back at Goten who let out a genuine chortle.

"Obviously. It's Trunks. He absolutely will."

---

Later that evening…

"And a flush wins it—suck it, Mr. President!"

Trunks threw his cards down, as did the others who lost yet again to a snickering Pan. "You're a fucking cheat," the eldest halfling declared.

Bulla gave a knowing side eye to Goten who tried not to laugh too loudly. Pan merely stuck her tongue out and raked in the zeni on the table.

"Be nice," Marron chided, "Pan won fair and square."

"Yeah right," Trunks snorted back, "if fair and square means switching the deck then sure, let's go with that."

"Kami, you're a sore loser!" Pan laughed. She started to silently count her zeni before continuing. "Your whole family is," the ebony-haired woman said tilting her head towards the heiress, who did not let the comment slide.

"Hey!" Bulla exclaimed, resentful.

"Am I wrong?" Pan motioned to her non-Briefs companions. "Are they both not the most competitive people ever like their parents?"

Uub quietly fiddled with his fingers in silent protest, not wanting to rock the boat, as Marron and Goten traded awkward glances. "Well," Goten began in a doubting tone before feeling two elbow jabs on either side from the siblings. "Ow, hey! I didn't say anything."

"Didn't need to, jerk!" Bulla said with a glare. Whenever the Saiyan Princess was cross she looked especially like a mix of her parents.

"Alright, alright…" Marron interjected, "for the safety of the group, maybe we should stop with the card games and play something else."

"Yeah?" Trunks scoffed, still offended. "Like what?"

"We can play 'Never Have I Ever' instead!" Pan offered.

"NO!" Goten, Marron, and Trunks all cried in unison; thoughts of their wild night out still fresh in their memory. The other three members of their group looked a little stunned at the animation in their voices.

"Geeze, tough crowd…" Pan muttered.

Bulla blinked with curiosity at their protest. "I mean, I don't mind the game," she said turning to the others. She briefly caught Goten's attention as the two looked away.

"Of course you don't," Pan snorted with amusement, "you always win since you've never done a damn thing."

"Have so," Bulla retorted, flushed. Trunks' eyes narrowed in on her suspiciously.

"Oh really?" he asked in a sardonic fashion. His curiosity peaked, ki rising ever so slightly at the thought of some tool touching his sister. The older brother felt his leg sting as she kicked him underneath the table. "Ow, damn it, Bulla!"

"Mind your business," she shushed him.

"Please, Bulla," Pan spoke dismissively, scratching her nose. "You've never even been kissed—"

Goten nearly fell out of his seat as Marron's eyes bulged out in horror at the remark. She quickly glanced at Bulla who gave her a telling look to stay quiet. As Goten regained his balance in his chair, he detected the others eyeing his odd behavior. "Uh, stupid chair is wobbly…" he trailed off, avoiding looking at any of them, especially Trunks right at that moment.

Bulla quietly pouted, not wanting to reveal any more about the false pretense of that statement, and yet, she didn't appreciate the amount of attention on her. "Neither have you, Pan," the bluette muttered sharply.

"Have so," Pan put her arms behind her head casually. Everyone's eyes widened.

"You have?!" Goten said aghast, knowing far more about his niece than he cared to.

Pan snorted. "I don't see what the big fuss is about," she shrugged off, "Uub and I did for practice once or twice."

"You have?!" Trunks repeated in shock.

Immediately, the bevy of astonished faces turned to Uub, who was waving his palms like a madman. Sweat formed at the top of his brow, looking almost as nervous as he did the day he met the gang at the World Martial Arts Tournament. The pupil of Goku could barely get a coherent word out. "I mean—we—may have—oh Kami—" he fumbled, a nervous wreck.

"It's not a big deal," Pan insisted, slightly wounding the reincarnation of Buu in the process, but she didn't notice his face twitch.

"It's a big deal!" Trunks insisted. "I thought you two were just friends."

"Friends kiss sometimes," she commented, "you cannot tell me that you and Uncle Goten have never—"

"WE HAVE NEVER KISSED EACH OTHER!" the two best friends screamed in unison, almost a little too defensively. Secretly, Bulla breathed a sigh of relief. She recognized neither of them felt that kind of way towards other men, but still, they were awfully close to one another. That would've added a whole other messy layer to their dynamic.

Pan smirked. "Whew, touchy!" the ebony-haired beauty bemoaned. "I remember catching both of you kissing Marron before, so I just assumed it was a free-for-all!"

It was Bulla's turn to nearly fall out of her chair. "EXCUSE ME?!" she shouted vigorously, surprising the others in the process. Her penetrating stare met both Goten and Marron, wondering what other secrets her best friend and crush had kept from her. Before either could explain themselves, Trunks interjected.

"Hey, it was Marron's first time drinking and we felt bad, so we got drunk with her," he explained, yet another secret revealed. He huffed in Pan's direction. "I seem to recall paying you off in candy to not say anything," the heir pointed out, remembering a precocious 10-year-old walking in accidentally on them.

"Statute of limitations has passed, Prez—it's all fair game now," Pan snickered to herself.

The intensity of Bulla's glare grew darker, prompting Goten to speak up. "It was at one of the holiday parties and we snuck off with some of the stash. One thing led to another, and we just took turns kissing," he clarified quietly. The look on Bulla's face crushed him. Goten pointed to Trunks straightaway. "But Marron and Trunks made out…she and I just had one little kiss!"

"Yeah, because she ralphed on your lap!"

"Trunks!" Marron elbowed him. "What did we just talk about this morning?!"

"What!? You did!" Trunks responded plainly.

"Kami! Marron, what doesn't get you sick?" Pan pondered aloud. "Between alcohol and motion sickness, your track record isn't great."

Marron pressed her palm to her forehead. "This is so embarrassing," she muttered, rubbing her temple. The blonde hoped that particular memory would stay hidden, especially from Bulla, but Pan just had her ways of stirring the pot. It was a wonder the girl hadn't caught on to more given her track record. She eyed Bulla sulking across the table, clearly not happy, so Marron wanted to do some damage control.

"It was only once a long time ago," the human continued softly, "obviously, it meant nothing."

"Yeah nothing," Goten added all too eagerly. The man hoped the adamancy in his voice was noticed by Bulla, and thankfully, he saw the edge of her lip curl in understanding. He turned to Trunks expecting a similar reaction, but the lavender-haired heir frowned. Coming across a bit wistful, he fleetingly caught Marron's attention before he spoke.

"Right," the eldest hybrid nodded, "nothing."

The low volume of his speech was telling. Those glacial eyes of his peered into hers, and Marron realized that while her comment was meant for Goten, that Trunks may have thought it applied to him as well. She couldn't very well address that without revealing more, so she remained tight-lipped after the exchange, though her own sapphire orbs tried to let him know otherwise.

"Why did that feel like a round of 'Never Have I Ever'?" Uub said resting his hand on his temple.

"Because Pan's a little shit sometimes," Trunks insisted, glaring.

"Yeah, maybe we should let Gohan know what you've been up to Pan," Goten pestered, partially serious. "I'm sure he'd love to hear about you and Uub playing tonsil tennis."

"Can we please not…" Uub begged from across the table.

Pan eyed her uncle mischievously, unfazed by his playful threat. This unnerved him greatly. He didn't trust her as far as he could throw her.

"What?"

"I know another game we can play," Pan said with devious aim. Goten cocked an eyebrow wondering what she could possibly mean. "Uncle Goten," his niece placed her hands behind her head, "I dare you to give Bulla her first kiss."

This time, both Bulla and Goten actually fell out of their seats, with Marron nearly joining them in shock. Uub sighed, leaning his cheek on his fist; this was about to be another long night. A cacophony of coughing and wheezing emanated from the floor.

Amidst the chaos, Trunks was fuming. He turned to Pan, utterly appalled at the suggestion. "Are you out of your fucking mind,Pan?!" he exclaimed.

She shrugged. "What? Bulla's never been kissed."

"And so GOTEN should be the one to kiss her? Are you high?!"

"I'm obviously not going to ask YOU to kiss her, dipshit!"

Trunks gestured towards Goku's student. "Uub is right there!"

By this time both Bulla and Goten crawled back up to the table, hanging on the edge. Together they shouted, "Uub?!"

Uub pointed to himself as Pan also chimed in with their own in tandem, "Me/Uub?!"

The younger quarterling looked indignant. "Why the hell would Uub kiss Bulla?!"

"WHY THE HELL WOULD GOTEN?!"

"Enough!" Marron finally stood up to calm the masses. Bulla and Goten sat back on their stools, red-faced and silent. The daughter of Krillin and Eighteen did not look like she was messing around. Trunks and Pan folded their arms, while Uub breathed a sigh of relief. "I think we are getting a little stir crazy. Let's think of something else to do."

Bulla mouthed a silent thank you to her friend for reeling in the chaos. The blonde smiled and quietly nodded. Goten was about to combust from the nerves. Trunks blew a bang out of his face, still clearly irritated at Pan's previous dare.

"What if we just watch a movie?" Uub suggested reasonably.

"Yes," the trio of Bulla, Marron, and Goten said unanimously. Pan and Trunks gave each other one last side-eye before agreeing as well.

"Fine," they both agreed.

Eventually, they all decided on an action flick that would require little mental energy, given how late it was getting. The movie started to play as everyone found their places. To no one's surprise, Pan and Uub claimed the aptly named loveseat where Pan extended herself taking up most of the space. She leaned against Uub who sat up straight, stiffer than a board, not making a peep about the additional contact. His tan skin in the darkness almost a full shade deeper.

Goten was about to join the others on the sectional, but with Marron and Trunks each grabbing the end seats, the only one available was right next to Bulla in-between her and her brother.

That was something Goten's nerves couldn't handle again just yet. At least without food to settle his stomach.

"I'm gonna grab a snack," he said quietly, virtually to himself. No one seemed to catch his departure towards the steps as they were all engrossed in the flick.

Save for a pair of kind blue eyes, softening with slight disappointment at the other hybrid's retreat.

---

Descending the staircase into the kitchen, Goten spotted the main lights had been dimmed, leaving only the glow of the backsplash to irradiate the rest of the first floor. He deduced that the late hour, plus the age of the other travelers, indicated that they were all already tucked into bed sleeping.

Save for one quieten figure in the corner.

Almost blending into the darkness, Vegeta's outline in front of the large window could have nearly been missed, had it not been for his distinctive hair shape. Though he couldn't quite make out his face, Goten could tell his best friend's father was deep in thought. Goten aborted his original plan to grab food and instead made his way to where the other man stood.

"Hey Vegeta," Goten said cheerfully, appearing to the older man's side as the Saiyan Prince stared silently out the vast bay window. "You're up late," he observed.

"Hmph," was all Vegeta uttered in response, glare unchanged. His moment of peace and quiet interrupted in the matter of an instant. The all-too-familiar grimace that had graced his face numerous times before seemed to be more wrinkled than usual. He was in no mood to entertain Kakarot's brat.

"Something on your mind?" Goten wondered with genuine concern. A gruff noise rattled from the older Saiyan's throat.

"Nothing I care to discuss," Vegeta answered deliberately.

Undeterred, Goten remained, putting his hand in his pockets, and gazing out through the glass before him. In the distance, numerous luminary bodies twinkled back. How infinitesimal they all were traveling through space next to the hundreds of planets and stars that lied before them. It was truly a sight to behold.

"We'd be crazy to ever think it's just us in this universe," he said quietly as he turned to face Vegeta. "Though I can imagine it's probably how you've felt a few times as a Saiyan."

"Does your idle chatter have a point?"

"I just," Goten began again unsure, "I figured that it's got to be a little nerve-wracking."

"And what is that?" Vegeta questioned, annoyed.

Noiselessness fell before them. "Your extended family on Souljin," the halfling returned. Another pulse of silence enveloped the two. "Are you nervous to meet them?" Goten speculated. His dusky eyes shone with curiosity and concern, not necessarily pity and yet, Vegeta took it negatively at first.

"Why would I be concerned about something so trivial?" he responded in a curter tone than before.

The harshness in Vegeta's voice did little to dissuade Goten from his original intent. He was far too used to it by now to be discouraged. The younger demi-Saiyan glanced once more at the impressive galaxy sprawled out in front of them. A small smile formed at the edge of his lips.

"You know," he started off, "I remember before I met my dad for the first time, I was pretty anxious. How could I not be? The famous Goku: savior of the world—"

Vegeta snorted in exasperation.

Goten continued without missing a beat. "My whole life, I grew up with stories about my father. He sounded almost mythical. I mean, to a seven-year-old who only heard tales of what he did, who he was…I thought he'd be a god amongst men."

A hearty chortle passed his lips. "Yet, while he truly was all these great things," Goten regained fondly, "at the end of the day, he mainly was just my dad."

His gaze glinted over in Vegeta's direction. "That day at the World Martial Arts Tournament, when he appeared I hid behind my mother at first because I was so afraid. What if I didn't live up to his expectations? But, as you saw yourself, Dad just simply introduced himself in the kind manner he always did. Something about not only his tone, but his eyes—they convinced me that things were okay, and I didn't need to be afraid."

Vegeta shifted towards the halfling, still scowling but considerably less severe than before. "Why are you telling me all of this?" he inquired skeptically.

Goten released a grin that mimicked his father to a tee. "Because," he spoke with quiet grace, "I know a little bit what it's like to reconnect with family you hadn't really known before. Despite any differences, all of you come from the same place. The same bloodline. Maybe it doesn't seem like a lot but, that's something."

The royal folded his arms, still quiet as the hybrid continued.

"There's not much that can fluster you of course, Vegeta but if you are worried, even a little bit, I'm sure everything will turn out fine."

Rolling his eyes, the elder man leered at the notion. "Pfft," the Saiyan Prince muttered, "I'm no sentimental fool like you or your father."

The other man's smile grew wider. "No, of course not," he said without a hint of sarcasm. Goten looked out towards the window yet again. "Though, if by some small chance you are, your secret is safe with me."

Goten's beaming form, which normally would have irritated Vegeta to the high heavens, somehow brought the touchy royal to a state of indifference. The elder Saiyan turned his attention to his younger companion, who met his eyeline without hesitation. Vegeta took note of the man's confidence, which had been missing from several prior interactions he had with him. His scowl reframed itself as a smirk.

"Good," Vegeta communicated, "I've a reputation to uphold."

Vegeta winced as he felt his back being patted by the other Saiyan. "That's the spirit!" Goten chimed happily. He immediately removed his hand when Vegeta glared at him, sheepishly chuckling to himself upon doing so. Goten cleared his throat. "For what it's worth though," he resumed, "this will be a cool opportunity for us all. Discovering our roots in a way. Like those stories you used to tell me about the legendary Saiyans of the past."

The comment prompted Vegeta to raise an eyebrow. "You remember those?" he asked in earnest.

Goten's chuckle returned. "Of course I do," the ebony-haired man continued, "I adored those tales. The ones about Yamoshi were my favorite, but honestly, I loved them all."

As he spoke, Vegeta couldn't help but take a moment to think of the impact he may have had on the man all those years ago as a boy. His earlier flashback to one of those occasions reminded him of the potential, but to hear it from Goten directly was rather humbling.

Vegeta hated being humbled.

Still, he recognized the significance. This journey was about to be a new dawn in the Saiyan legacy, even if the Souljin people were a bit removed from their roots biologically. While he would never allow Goten's suspicions to be founded, Vegeta did, in his own way, appreciate the effort to ease his mind a bit.

"Goten," he caught the younger man's attention with use of his name for the first time in the conversation. Vegeta inhaled deeply through his nose, almost hesitant. "This…helped."

Though surprised to see an unusual admission from Vegeta, Goten relished it all the same. The half-Saiyan revealed a full set of teeth at the profession. "I'm glad," he stated sincerely. Their eye contact ended as Vegeta resumed staring out the window once more. Satisfied that they were done, Goten started to head towards the stairs before Vegeta's commanding voice prompted him to remain in place.

"Tell me one more thing though," he instructed gazing at the stars before him. The firmness in his timbre could stop the ship with its weight. Even though the two weren't looking at each other, Goten could feel daggers at the back of his neck. "How long have you been training my daughter for?" Vegeta interrogated, his all-knowing mind revealing itself.

A gasp nearly unleashed from Goten's throat, but he used whatever strength he could muster to keep it lodged in there. The confident exterior he exuded nearly crumbled away in an instant, but it took everything within the hybrid to stand firm. There was no reason he had to make Vegeta's knowledge of the subject out to be more than what it was. He swallowed sharply, wishing the brief bout of air could somehow give him the strength he needed to keep his cool.

"Almost seven weeks," Goten answered quickly to prevent putting anymore doubts in Vegeta's head.

The royal turned towards Goten, analyzing his face for any ounce of incongruity. "Hmm," he expressed, impressed at the boy's resolve. "And just how long were you planning on keeping this from me?"

Without even flinching, Goten held his ground. "You never asked before now," he affirmed matter-of-factly. It was technically true.

Vegeta scoffed. "A convenient answer," he chided.

"Convenient," Goten repeated, "but to be fair, this is the first time you've brought it up."

He grinned as Vegeta rolled his eyes. Goten, sensing less severity from the other man, rejoined him near the window. "That night I went out with Trunks a couple months ago, I caught Bulla in her Super Saiyan form in the gravity room," he explained.

"Do you make it a habit to spy on my daughter, Goten?"

He immediately waved his hands in protest. "Oh no—it was right after you and I chatted actually," the hybrid laughed nervously, his guard up once more. "I sensed her ki flaring exponentially and she was pretty hard to miss after that," Goten added. Seeing Vegeta's disapproving look not wavering in the slightest, he continued further. "After realizing she had been struggling to maintain the form, I offered to lend some additional assistance."

"She already had an instructor," Vegeta said firmly. The elder Saiyan didn't appreciate his expertise being questioned by Kakarot's progeny of all people.

"I figured one more couldn't hurt," Goten answered in earnest. Even Vegeta didn't have a response to that. He observed the twinkling of the stars outside and smiled. "Out of curiosity, though," the younger of two men probed, "how did you know?"

"Tch," Vegeta sneered, "I know everything."

Amused, Goten chuckled to himself. "At this rate, I'm starting to think you do," he carried on, a trace of mischief dancing about.

"Bulla's made some really good strides though, Vegeta," Goten resumed, hands in his pockets. "Regardless of how you feel about me training her, I do think an additional perspective has helped. She's already quicker and more in control of her ki. I won't claim to take any credit there, but I believe Bulla is starting to trust in herself a little more. That confidence is helping her a ton and I know if she continues to work at it, she'll master the Super Saiyan form in no time."

He couldn't help but speak fondly of Bulla to her father, especially since every word he said was true. Goten was immensely proud of the progress she had made from when they initially started training until now. The younger halfling carefully observed his older foil for any clue of how the man was feeling about his words. Vegeta's form slackened just enough to be noticeable.

"You really believe that?" Vegeta inquired; his tone significantly more cordial this time around.

"I'd stake my life on it," Goten sheepishly grinned, hoping he wouldn't have to actually do so.

Another wave of quiet passed over, the elder of the two Saiyan men fixated on his racing thoughts. Taking a deep breath, Goten awaited a retort to his previous comment. He wasn't quite sure where Vegeta stood on things and the silence wasn't helping. Inhaling a long breath, the prince's shoulders rose and fell as he reached a conclusion.

"Perhaps your additional lessons have done her some good," Vegeta, in rare form, consented. The response nearly knocked Goten over. The Saiyan Prince made sure though to peer straight into the younger man's soul with his next comment. "I trust you know better than to publicly reveal how Bulla struggles with the ability, correct?"

"I haven't told anyone else she can go Super Saiyan," Goten assured. His lips curved upwards. "I don't plan to, either."

Vegeta looked once more upon the vastness of space before them. "It's for her own safety," the Saiyan Prince maintained, a bit of fondness in his voice. "I don't want anyone to take advantage of that knowledge. Or worst, advantage of her."

The words gave pause to both men, as their shared affection for Bulla was a common link. His genuine concern for his daughter was evident, and Goten found himself touched by Vegeta's devotion. No matter what, that was the one thing he would never want to risk. "I swear, they won't hear it from me," the Son man attested.

With a simple bow of the head, Vegeta accepted Goten's words. The proud prince released his arms from their folded stance, as he readied himself to turn around towards his bedroom. Before heading in that direction, Vegeta stared at Goten one last time. "Is there anything else I should know?" he asked with a concentration that bordered on accusatory.

Without wavering, Goten kept eye contact with the great rival of his father. The proud and noble Saiyan Prince. The second strongest man in the universe. The guardian protector of Bulla Briefs. Meeting his stare squarely on, the younger halfling refused to be deterred. "Thought you knew everything, Vegeta," he replied confidently, almost with a touch of challenge.

Their eyes locked, Vegeta became acutely aware that Goten wasn't lowering his gaze. A satisfied smirk graced the lips of the older fighter. With a firm grasp, the prince pinched the shoulder of Kakarot's youngest, who tried his best to avoid wincing at the gesture.

"Never forget that, boy," the Saiyan warned in a tone that showcased his mollified demeanor, and yet, managed to still be bone chilling. Goten did not flinch.

Placated, Vegeta turned to head out of the room, leaving Goten in the dim light of the window. With the other man's departure, Goten became aware that he had been holding in a deep breath for far too long. Confident he was alone, he finally exhaled. The hybrid was both unnerved and strangely validated by the exchange, but knew a warning when it was issued.

Never forget that, boy.

---

After the longer than anticipated conversation with Vegeta, Goten returned to the second floor of the ship to rejoin his friends. The living area upstairs was illuminated solely by the flickering of the TV, the sound low and almost imperceptible. Goten immediately noticed that his companions had dispersed to their respective rooms, clearly too exhausted to finish the movie. As the halfling headed to turn off the television, he caught a small flash of blue peeking out from the couch. Not everyone had vanished.

He witnessed the sleeping form of Bulla, curled up and gripping a couch cushion without a care in the world. The soft, warm glow of the television illuminated the curves of her face. A faint glance of contentment appeared on Goten's visage with how peaceful she looked.

"Bulla," he shook her lightly, though not even a peep emitted from the girl upon doing so. Goten increased his force ever so gently, receiving just a twitch of her nose in response. A small scoff of amusement reverberated in the room. What an ironic twist of fate.

He thought about just covering her with a blanket and letting her stay in this blissful state unperturbed. Yet, his protective nature kicked in, not wanting to leave her exposed and disoriented upon waking. Part of him wasn't sure what the right thing to do was, so he simply decided to go with his gut.

Slowly and delicately, Goten lifted the princess into his arms as he made his way towards her bedroom. While cradling her petite frame, he gazed down to marvel at how much she had grown since the last time he had carried her to bed. When she was a child, it was a common scenario; Bulla would often want to try staying up late with the boys only to be the first one to fall asleep. With Trunks usually indifferent at whether Bulla stayed on the couch or in her bed, the task to make her more comfortable often fell to Goten, which never seemed to bother him. Though child Bulla was already exceptionally cute wide awake, there was something about her slumbering stature that always managed to stall Goten's heart. In her most vulnerable state, it was when he was the most protective of the princess. Years later, he still felt that way.

Not so unlike all those past times, Goten held her tightly to ensure she wouldn't fall. Easy enough for a Saiyan hybrid of his strength to do, and yet, he took extra care with his unofficial assignment. Catching sight of her once more, it was clear that Bulla's features were womanly and full-grown, something that Goten had been well aware of for a while. The little girl he reminisced about now only lingered in his memories. It was a weird mix of grief and relief; to be able to see her in a new light as he had been but realizing that things would never be quite how they were before, when their situation was far simpler.

She stirred against his broad chest, the warmth of her cheek pressing through the thin fabric of his shirt. Even clothed, he still felt her heat. Goten's breath quickened as he finally reached the door of the room Bulla was staying in. With impressive grace, Goten managed to enter the heiress' makeshift domain with her still sleeping soundly in his arms. The hybrid effortlessly set her on the bed, pulling the sheets back to cover her body as he tucked her in. He heard a soft keen of contentment out of Bulla's parted lips, noting that they looked especially full by the dim light of the cosmos glistening through her window.

Unable to tear himself away, Goten sat at the edge of the bed admiring the other half-Saiyan as her chest rose and fell with each slow breath. Her long aqua tresses were dispersed out onto her pillow behind her head, save for a few stray strands. Instinctively, Goten slipped the rogue vibrant locks behind Bulla's ear, the contact causing a small smile to appear on the sleeping heiress' face. Prompting a smile of his own, his attraction to her had never been purer. Goten often chastised himself for having less than perfect thoughts of late concerning the sister of his best friend, yet somehow, the only thing on his mind was simply how exquisite she was and how badly he wanted to lie down next to her—nothing sensual, but merely to sleep with the sweet beauty in his hold.

"B-Chan," he whispered to no one, his innocent fantasy stirring a funny sensation inside his bones.

Moonbeams permeated through the glass to illuminate her gorgeous face, a celestial guide for Goten to trace upon. The same fingers that had adjusted her loose hair voyaged down towards her cheek. She had incredible cheekbones, he thought candidly, and they were especially noticeable when she laughed. Her softness reminded him of the night of her birthday when he cupped them in his hands. Fondly remembering the feeling, it was a few seconds before Goten could bring himself to cease the gentle action, a mellifluous sigh released upon doing so.

With careful finesse, the elder halfling maneuvered off Bulla's bedframe and stepped soundlessly towards the doorway. A small ache in his heart with each step away from her, but this wasn't his room. It wasn't his place.

He convinced himself of this, until he heard a faint whisper suggesting otherwise.

"Stay."

Goten froze in place as the nearly inaudible request echoed through his eardrums. He returned his focus back to the heiress; she still appeared to be sleeping, although he spotted one eyelid halfway open. His breath hastened wondering if he had simply imagined hearing her dulcet tone, but the thunderous heartbeat inside his breast suggested otherwise.

They eyed each other, fully aware they had the other person's attention. Goten knew what she asked of him; a slight tremble of his lower lip indicated him wanting to answer her. Somehow, the words failed to come out. Even he didn't have the faintest idea of what he would say.

She slowly opened her other eye, both pale orbs of cerulean now reflecting the supernal light of the galaxy outside her window. Goten couldn't move. He was lost in her entirely. His hesitance only furthered her petitioning.

"Just for a little while," Bulla continued in a quiet tone full of earnestness. "Please?"

Then and there, he nearly forgot the warning her father had issued earlier in the night. Then and there, the only request that filled his thoughts was hers and hers alone.

Without a word, Goten about-faced back in the direction of the princess, taking off his shoes as he approached the other side of her bed. Almost unsure what to do, he paused momentarily before placing himself over the covers that Bulla was tucked under. Though the bed wasn't all that big, the dark-haired hybrid left enough space to fit another person between them. He was already breaking an unspoken commandment just by being there; Goten didn't need to add fuel to the fire.

In the stillness, neither one of them took a breath. Sensing his hesitation, Bulla inched her body backwards so that there was nearly no space between them any longer. The darkness made it hard to tell, but her whole countenance changed bright red at her forwardness. Despite the momentary bout of courage, Bulla could not steady her rapid heartrate. Goten's own countenance deepened its shade as her frame pressed upon his. Gulping hard, the halfling man was unprepared for another bold action by the Saiyan Princess as the arm at his side found itself at her hip, enveloping her in a gentle hold, his palm resting at the top of her hand.

When the initial shock of the action wore off, Goten intuitively tightened his grasp around the heiress, his head burying into the soft, turquoise tresses of fragrant coconut that laid fanned about beneath him. Weeks prior, he had envisioned falling asleep in those luscious locks Bulla possessed and part of him wondered if he had somehow conjured this moment into existence. Before he had the chance to do so himself, the younger half-Saiyan mewled a contented sigh, her own grip squeezing. Goten's lips formed a smile.

He knew he wouldn't be able to stay long; someone would have been bound to notice if he did. Yet, Goten felt unable to wrench away, even if he had wanted to; he was in her orbit and her gravitational pull held immense power. Planets could bow to her if she desired them to. That was the might of the Saiyan Princess.

Goten didn't stand a chance.

"Just for a little bit," the older man paraphrased, keeping a respectable distance from her ear canal, yet the move still sent shivers down her spine.

Bulla embraced his arms with greater firmness than before as he spoke. She was hardly able to make sense of it all, but the last thing she wanted to do was ruin the moment by bringing logic into it. All she could do was enjoy the feel of his arms around her, his recognizable scent lulling her to sleep with its comforting familiarity.

For all his insistence about only staying temporarily, Goten's own eyes wilted with weariness from the day. With one final inhale of her hair, he told himself he'd have to pull away. Let her go.

It was the last stream of consciousness Goten had before slumber claimed them both.

---

Chapter 7 and somebody's in heaven…for now, hehe :)

This chapter had the first of several Goten & Vegeta flashbacks and while this one is a particular favorite of mine; I'm excited for them all. Their dynamic is especially important in multiple ways, so can't wait to share more down the line.

Chapter 8: The big arrival on Souljin is cause for some fanfare and introductions.

As always, thank you to the kind reviewers/readers who truly make me feel so treasured throughout this process. Being able to share my love for these characters with others is an immense honor and know I am so grateful to you all!

-SonChan