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Prologue
By : Herpb4uDerp
Category: Missing Data > Missing Data
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Turning the Tables
He feels out the softly humming kis one more time before getting up from bed. He steps carefully avoiding the creaky boards to the room his father is in. He stares down at the face nearly identical to his own and gently presses on his chest. The ki he feels there remains still and distant despite the steady even breathing.
"Fuck." Goten paces a few times before finally pulling out his phone and tapping out an SOS. The response is immediate.
Bra
(1204) What do you mean you need my help?
He's in the middle of a reply when it starts buzzing in his hands. He puts it up to his ear.
She groans in to the phone, "Uuuuhg, 'Ten, what could possibly be so important that you had to disrupt my beauty sleep?"
He snorts, "Beauty sleep? ...I always wondered how you managed to keep your horns and tail retracted during the day."
"Hmm." She says sleepily, "I guess it's not important, then-"
"No, no! Wait! Don't hang up." He doesn't hear a beep so he continues, "Ok, so... you know how your devices might have... side effects?"
"Oh, shit. Did you like, grow a third arm made of Ki?" Her voice wakes up a little more, "The amputation is going to be really painful, and I mean really painful. We also might black out a few neighborhoods, but you should be fine-"
"What? No- Is that a joke?"
There is a long silence, "Just tell me what's wrong."
He looks at the shallow rise and fall in Goku's chest. "I might have... tested your device... on someone else."
"Ok." He hears her shift and her voice drop into a serious tone, "I get why you called me, but you need to hang up, like right now, blast the area to nothing like, seriously nothing 'Ten. Then take the band and leave. They weren't important, right? You're not in public? Did anyone see-"
"What? Bra, what are you talking about?"
"Oh-" he hears her sigh with relief, "he's still alive? I'm assuming it's a he. What happened? He go into a coma?"
"Wait- was that your protocol for dealing with a body? What the fuck?! How often do your test subjects die? Did you think I was gonna die?!"
"I don't see how that's relevant, but No, 'Ten, I didn't think you were going to die. You're a Saiyan. Is he conscious or not?"
And here I was, naively thinking they had been assault charges. "No, he's not. You gonna help me or what?"
"Mmm. No."
"What?!"
"Why should I? He's just some stupid human. Worthless for data. Dump him at a hospital or something. You should be fine. It's not like he knew your name, right? Oh! But make sure you get the band first. You, uh, might have to cut his hand off, kinda gross, I know but I can not have that in the possession of the police. It's not patented. Also, how'd you get it from Trunks already? Idiot wouldn't even give it back to me."
"Why would I cut his- never mind. You should help me because he's not just some stupid human."
"Ooh~ So you did find a beau? I'd have bet the company's fortune that you didn't know the names of the last twenty guys you fucked, but Trunks kept insisting. He's always giving you more credit than your worth... SO! Tell me! Is he cute? What's he look like? How strong is he-"
"No! Shut up! Oh my god, you and Trunks are the worst- No. ...It's my dad."
He hears her bust out into grating high pitched laughter. "WHAT?! Your DAD?! Whyyy? Oh my god, 'Ten, why would you-?" her laughter cools, "I never know, I just never fucking know what you're gonna do." she sighs, "This changes everything. I'll be over as soon as I can. But you need to tell me exactly what happened before he lost consciousness," He hears her start moving around.
"Uh, nothing really..." He glances at his father, "His energy just spiked like crazy and then there was this giant shock-wave that knocked me back. When I got up he was passed out and I couldn't wake him up."
"Ok and how long has he been ou- wait, a shockwave? Is that what that was? That was him?"
"Yeah, it was huge! You felt it too?"
"... 'Ten is his Ki... kind of fucked up now? Like, unresponsive?"
"Yeah, actually it is. Is that a good sign?"
"No, bozo! It's not. 'Ten. You took a ki blocker, right?"
"...Yup."
"You're sure?"
"Mm-hm."
"You took the right one?"
"'Course."
"And none of this... happened to you when you did it, right?"
"Uhh, nope. Don't think so."
"Is he still wearing it?"
"...No."
"How the fuck- Ok." He hears her mutter something, scattering papers, "Uhg, I'm definitely going to need to stop back at my lab. You are such an inconvenience, you know that? I better at least get good data out of this."
"I mean, it's not like it matters whether it was a ki blocker or not, right?"
"Of course it matters! Don't be stupid! Ki-tech is extremely sensitive. And most of it isn't even in testing phases yet, so if you grabbed the wrong one-"
He mouths a few silent curses before admitting, "It wasn't a ki blocker." He squeezes his eyes shut and holds his breath waiting for her response.
"I literally told you which one to take! How did you grab the wrong one? What was it? Send me a picture. It should be you in a stupid coma right now!"
"No, no, I did take the right one." The line is very quiet as he continues, "But I... I took something else, too."
There's a long painful pause before her unbearable shrieking breaks into the room "WHAT?! WHAT DID YOU TAKE?" He lowers the volume on his phone to save his ears. "I TOLD YOU NOT TO TOUCH ANYTHING-"
"Bra- listen-"
"YOU STOLE FROM MY LAB!? AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH-" he holds the phone away from his face even though it's almost muted as she screams. She stops to take a breath. Then continues. Then stops to take another breath.
"Are you- are you done yet?"
"AAAAHHH! NO, YOU IDIOT!" She screeches. He imagines her breathing fire through her nose as she struggles to regain composure. "Fine! Yes! I'm done! What the fuck did you take?!"
"Amplifier."
"Oh my f- 'Ten! You are actually the worst person I know! AAAAAAAHHH! Those weren't even close- and now I have to start all over! You fucking RUINED! MONTHS! Of research that I-" He holds it away from his face again and waits until she stops talking. She doesn't, so he speaks over her.
"You're still coming over, right?"
"Yes! I am still coming over!" She fumes, "If for no other reason than getting MY invention out of your stupid hands! ...and" she continues suddenly much calmer, "I'm kinda curious about your dad."
"Curious how?" he asks immediately suspicious of the way she says that word.
"Just... you know... curious. Is he everything everyone said he was?"
"Well, he's lying here basically dead to the world, so, no, not really. Anyway, second floor, third window from the right, back of the house, I'll let you in. And please try to be quiet. Everyone's asleep."
"Uhg! I have to come in through a window?"
"Bra-"
"Don't worry, I'm already on my way." She hangs up the phone.
.
.
He is sitting cross armed on a chair in the corner of the room starting to doze off when he hears tapping on glass. He lifts his head and looks at the window where two eerily bright blue eyes framed by straight locks of equally bright blue hair are searching the room for him.
Her face lights up when she sees him approach the window. He opens it, but blocks her from coming in. He looks closely at her before taking a few strands of her hair between his fingers, "If you tell me you took over an hour because you straightened your fucking hair-"
She bats his hand away and climbs into the room with a backpack, "Don't be fucking stupid, 'Ten. I'm half Saiyan too. This is what it looks like when I don't put time in. It only took an hour because I only did my face." She purses her lips at him.
"...The curls are fake?"
"Of course the curls are fake!" She snaps quietly, "And they never hold for long. My hair is SO stiff and wiry." She blows at her bangs, "I guess we can't all be blessed like Trunks, but at least it doesn't stand up like my papa's. Uhg. What would I do, then?"
"...Give up and die?"
"Probably! If I had any self respect! Anyway stop sidetracking me. Ring! Now!" She thrusts an open palm into his face.
"Ok, ok." He reaches into his pocket and dumps the charred metal in her hand.
"AA-"
"SHH!"
She whispers a scream. "It's completely blown! You've set me back months!" She tantrums as quietly as she can manage before stuffing it into her back pocket and pushing past him and walks towards the quiet figure on the bed.
Her eyes widen as she stares down at Goku, then back at him. "What the- 'Ten! He looks exactly like you!"
He rolls his eyes, "Yeah, I know."
"Do you? 'Cause I mean, he looks exactly like you. Even with the new haircu-"
"Yes! I do know!" He whispers angrily.
"That's so weird." She looks back and forth between them several more times for comparison,"So... does the rest of him look like you too, or what?" She begins to pull the sheets back over his torso until Goten stops her.
"Not what you're here for, you psychotic deviant."
She smirks, "It's purely scientific interest." She takes a small pen light out and shines it in one of Goku's eyes. "Oh, wow. He's really out. No dilation or anything."
"No shit. That's why you're here."
She ignores him and starts reaching into her bag. She pulls a silver semi circular piece of metal and taps each end with ki before brushing Goku's bangs back and placing it over his forehead. As soon as it hits his skin it attaches and he can see a light on either end echo into his temples. She pulls out a thin cords of flexible metal and starts untwisting them from each other.
"What's that do?"
"Excites ki. Hopefully."
"How long will it take?"
"I don't know."
"Do they all work like that?"
"Like what?"
"Using ki to activate them. Are they all like that?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"'Ten." She sets down the wiry contraption in her lap, "I am trying to work my magic here. Why don't you go find something better to do instead of annoying with me with stupid questions. I might just 'mess up' because of your idiocy!"
"I'll take the risk. It'd be worse to leave you here alone with him. Who knows what you have in that backpack for 'scientific interest.'"
She smiles and starts wrapping the metal around Goku's left arm then taps it in various places with ki and it too begins to glow.
"What's that? Why does it go on his arm?"
"Literally stop talking! You stole from my lab. You don't get to know anything. You're lucky I'm even here right now digging you out of what would have eventually turned into 2nd degree murder."
"Hm." He watches the softly pulsing light flow through the cables and tries to remain quiet for a few minutes wondering what kind of metal that must be to soak up ki like that, "What about the dampener though? Are you still going to tweak it for me? It kinda sucked, but I'd definitely use it again." Until I can think of a way to get Vegeta to change his mind. HA. Like that will ever happen. At least the band would be better than nothing...
"Over my dead body!" She huffs, "Maybe. Your misadventures do have a tendency to keep me entertained. ...Uhg except when Gohan calls me an 'enabler' of your behavioral problems." She rolls her eyes. "But to do that I'll have to find a way to get it back from Trunks, who I'm sure will try to destroy it." She scoffs, "He has no appreciation for the hard work I put into my inventions. Why are older brothers so annoying? Don't they know we just want to have fun?"
Goten shrugs with a smile. "I don't know what their problem is, but I feel like Pan is the common denominator."
"NoOoOo don't even get me started! Trunks can do so much better. I literally hate them together so much! Every time I see them break up and get back together I want to throw up."
"Same! And that's all they fucking do! Hook up, break up, hook up, breakup, hook up, break up. Ahhhg- It's like they enjoy being miserable!" He crosses his arms, "I don't fucking get it."
"I know! Me neither! It's literally no fucking wonder he drinks so much. I would too if I dated such an annoying bitch."
"Right? It's totally because of her. Like, maybe if she stopped trying to control him and make him go to AA every other week he'd stop on his own."
Bra snorts, "Saiyans at AA."
"I know! So stupid! Besides! Drinking makes him fun. When he's sober all he does is work."
"And harass me about Capsule Corp's stupid projects! Like I don't have my own! Uhg!"
"I'm pretty sure she's just dating him because it pisses off Gohan. Which... ok, pissing off Gohan is pretty hilarious-"
"Wow." She raises her eyebrows, "It's like daddy issues run in your family."
"Yeah. Wait-" He narrows his glare at her, "The fuck is that supposed to mean?"
"I dunno, you tell me." She looks down at Goku with a smirk.
"I do not have fucking daddy issues-"
"You know, denial is like," She waves at his offended expression, "really not a good look for you."
"Shut the f-!"
They both feel Goku's ki start to 'wake up' and go quiet. The glowing band wrapped from his wrist to his shoulder to the center of his chest begins to smoke lightly and fill the room with a burning smell.
"Is that ok?"
"Yeah, it's... um, yeah it's probably fine."
"You don't sound very confident about that..."
The band around Goku's head suddenly pulses with bright white light and Goku shoots up open mouthed. It takes him a moment to pull in a sharp breath and start trying to rip the hot wiry bands off his arm but they stay in place, stuck to him. Bra struggles to try and stop him but he pushes her away and she falls to the floor.
"Ah- what- what is th- Goten? Where am I?" He stumbles out of the bed still fidgeting with the hot wires on his arm.
"Calm down. You won't be able to get it off yourself, let me take it off for you." She says getting up and reaching towards his head.
"Who are you?" he eyes her suspiciously and keeps his distance, "Are you a doctor? Am I in a hospital?" He starts backing up until he thuds quietly into a wall "how do I- why won't this come off? Are these needles? What is this!? Is it needl-"
"No, no, no. No needles." She shows him her empty hands, "I'm... also not a doctor." Goku doesn't show any signs of recognition, "I'm Bra... Bulma and Vegeta's daughter."
"... Vegeta's... daughter...?"
"Yeah."
Goten hits the lights and Goku looks around at the room he's in. He let's her approach him and gently tap at and remove the head band, then tap at and unravel the one wrapped around his fore arm and bicep. Goten is sure there's something not so scientific in the look she gives him before she turns her attentions to inspecting her devices.
"Where am I?"
"Gohan's house. You're in one of the guest rooms."
"But we were... we were just sparring, weren't we?" His gaze locks on the open window and notices it is dark, "What time is it?"
"It's one o'clock in the morning."
"What?" Goku rubs the red marks spiraling down his arm. "What happened?" He looks distrustfully at Goten. Then casts his eyes towards the other half who is sitting on the corner of the bed carefully handling and untangling the hot pieces of metal. His face lights up and his expression shifts back to his natural smile, "Bra?"
"The one and only."
"Sorry I pushed you."
"I'm more upset you didn't recognize me."
Goku laughs, "When I left you were hardly talking."
"Tch. Those were the days." Goten mutters. Bra shoots him a nasty look in response.
"But now- You're all grown up! And Goten was right!" He beams at his son, "You're so pretty!"
Goten slumps back into the chair with a sigh. "Why would you say that- I've never said that- She will never leave me alone now-"
"Goten thinks I'm pretty?! And here I thought you weren't capable of saying anything nice about me." She pouts at Goten.
Goten rolls his eyes, "I'm not. How could I be? You look like a drowned siren like that." He gestures to her hair.
Bra clicks her tongue but retains her bright smile, "Sirens don't drown, 'Ten, the sailors do. Stop trying to flirt with me." She feigns romantic bashfulness, "We're in front of your dad."
Goku watches this vibrant young woman chide his son, "Yeah wow. You look just like your mom."
"Oh" she flips her hair, "Her beauty was legendary, I'm sure I don't even hold a candle."
"No, no really! Your eyes, and- and all the blue and-" Then it finally hit him. He will never see Bulma again. The sadness that had been creeping on him since the moment he returned suddenly felt bottomless. He was back and she was still gone. Which, more than anything meant he would never be able to apologize to her. He had wanted to do that. Before she passed. But he could never bring himself to face her after their last conversation. His smile drops, "I- yeah... You look... a lot like her."
"Dad" Goten rubs his palm against his sleep deprived face, "Stop feeding the she-demon compliments. It only encourages her."
"'Te~en, don't use our pet names! You're embarrassing me. I want to make a good first impression." She giggles, "Thank you, Mr. Son. That's so sweet of you to say."
"You don't have to be so formal. Everyone calls me Goku."
"Oh. Well, thank you, Goku." He bristles with discomfort at the way she says his name. "You know, speaking of good looks, it's suddenly so clear where 'Ten got his from."
Goku wasn't sure how to respond to that. Or her tone, or anything about her really and simply nods.
"You could even pass for tw-"
"Finish that sentence and I swear to god, I will kills us both Bra, I don't even care anymore."
"You'd murder-suicide? With me? And they say romance is dead."
Goku knew he wasn't in a position to judge, but he was becoming less and less certain and more and more concerned about what kind of relationship this was, "Are you and Goten...?"
Before Bra can open her mouth to say something damning, Goten jumps up. "No!" He waves his hands, "No... Never. We're not even friends-"
"Don't listen to this dummy." Bra puts her hands on Goten's shoulders and draws him close to her, "He's just being coy! 'TenTen and I are actually best friends. Like, the most best friends ever." She shakes him a little, "We must be because I came over in the middle of the fucking night" she glares at the half Saiyan she has in her death grip, still grinning, "to help him out even after finding out that he screwed up big time."
"Oh. Ok." his laugh is somewhat nervous because he wasn't sure what that meant or if he should trust either of them now, "...Is that... is that why that wire was on me? To help... me? What... happened?" Bra and Goten exchange looks and she lets him go.
"Well, you said you, uh... remember sparing me, right?"
"...Yeah. We were... in the desert and-" his face scrunches in thought as he tries to walk himself through the day, "You gave me something, didn't you? So we could spar more? You gave me... some kinda ring? That's the last thing I remember."
Goten looks back to Bra who's biting back a smile trying her hardest not to blurt, 'You got yourself into this, you get yourself out' out loud.
Fuck. "Yeah, that ring... it was a ki amplifier, but it uh, I guess it wasn't... uh, calibrated... properly-"
Bra snorts loudly, "Calibrated? Do you even know what that word means?"
"Yes! I know what it-"
'Doubtful.' She mouths.
Goten dead pans at her and turns back to his father, "Anyway it knocked you out instead of making you stronger so we could spar."
She scoffs and taps her foot in annoyance, "Are you serious? You really tried to use it for training?"
"Yes." He says with clenched teeth.
"That is so boring. Wasted it for nothing." She mutters under her breath to him.
"Bra, shut-" he cuts off his whisper and tries to silence her with a look.
"...Ki amplifier" Goku repeats slowly.
"Yeah."
"And... It didn't work?"
"Well, it did for like... a minute."
"Oh, wait. Did it really?" She asks with interest.
"Yeah his power was crazy for a second. More than mine! I almost got to see the strongest ka-me-ha-me ever." Bra let's out an impressed 'humph' and starts examining the marks on Goku's arm. She pulls a notepad and pen out of her backpack and begins writing.
"Did you know it was going to do that?" He sits back on the bed giving bra full leverage over his singed limb while she sketches and details equations.
"No." He says honestly.
"It didn't do that with you?"
"No. That's why I called her. She, uh, knows her tech better than me. But you're ok now. Right, Bra?"
She doesn't take her eyes off his arm and Goku notices she's put down the note pad and gotten awfully touchy. He starts to pull it away, which she reluctantly allows. "Yeah. He's fine. But, Goku," she purrs out his name, "if you have any side effects or weird ki or grow a third arm, please" she leans in while pushing her chest out. Goku bows back slightly in response and shoots his eyes towards the ceiling. "Don't hesitate to call."
"Sure..." he says forcing a smile.
She takes a moment to lean in just a little bit closer and Goten doesn't know if he's more irritated by her tactless desperation or amused by his father's awkward discomfort. She stands up, tugs on her short-shorts and starts gathering all of her equipment and putting it away in her bag. Goten begins to hurry her until he is almost shoving her out the window.
She hesitates on the outside windowsill, her hands halfway in halfway out, "Super saiyan? More like Super Hot! Am I right?!" She whispers with a mischevious smirk looking at Goku.
"What?"
"Your dad! He is soOo cute. You should totally let me know if he and your mom don't work out-"
Goten slams the window down, trying to catch her fingers but she's too fast and escapes sticking her tongue out at him before she flies away.
"Crazy bitch." He mutters before turning back to his father who stares at him with disapproval.
"That... wasn't a very nice thing to say."
"She's not very nice."
"She was nice to me."
"Yeah, because she's compulsively promiscuous. Even more than me. Which is... yeah. Wow."
"... Compulsively what?"
Goten rolls his eyes, "A whore. It means she's a whore, dad."
"Wha-! Goten! You shouldn't say-"
"I'll stop saying it when it's not true." He shakes his head, "Look, if you could just forget about this whole thing..." his father looks at him warily, "I- Gohan doesn't know I train with equipment like that. He... thinks it's dangerous..."
"He's right." Goku rubs at the blistering marks.
"I know. But it would... mean a lot to me" he stomach almost heaves at his choice of words, "if you didn't mention it to him... Gohan and I... don't exactly get along very well and this would make him... super mad at me." Which would be extra fucking annoying because I live with him right now.
"You don't... really get along with anyone very well, do you?" Goku notes quietly.
"What?"
"Yeah. Gohan, Chi Chi... Veget-"
"That's because no one gets along with Vegeta!" He didn't expect his father's bluntness to cut as deep as it did and he shocks himself with the tone.
"I didn't... mean to upset you. I just-"
"I'm not up-!" He lowers his voice, "I'm not upset."
Goku looks at his son's intense unhappy expression, "You seem kinda upset."
"I'm not-!" Goten closes his eyes and breathes heavily through his nose. "No, you're right. Thanks dad, for noticing. I'm so glad you could point it out and politely remind me that all of my relationships are tense at best and homicidal at worst, like I didn't already know! Because I'm sure yours are so much better!"
Goku closes his mouth and frowns. "...Sorry."
"Yeah. You should be. And, you know what? Maybe I don't get along with them because they're the ones the problems. Did you ever think about that?"
"...No."
"Yeah. Well they are. I have friends. I get along with other people. Just not them."
"Oh. Well that's good. Like who?"
"I-" Goku stares at him with interest and makes him feel strangely vulnerable. "Like Trunks. And..." He tries to think of anyone else, "Trunks and I are really good friends."
"What's wrong with Bra? She seems to like you. A lot."
He sighs, "So, so, so, so, many things are SO wrong with her, dad. Please do not-"
"She really does look just like Bulma." He hesitates, "But with Vegeta's nose." He smiles.
"Well, why don't you date her then, since she's so fucking pretty!" Goten snaps, "I'm sure she'd take you up on it! Fuck- Can we just fucking drop this already? I don't want to talk about her. I don't want to talk about anyone."
His father nods and looks away trying to think of a way to repair another shot attempt at reconciling with his youngest son.
Goten catches a short glimpse of all the turning little gears inside his father's head. All discontent, worry, sadness, all the things that dumb smile tried to hide,"I-" Does he have to look like that? "Look, it's just- You don't know her. And you don't know me, ok? And it's... it's not like that. It's never going to be like that."
"Like what?"
"Like-" he groans and face palms, "Dad, like- like- oh my god, I'm-" He looks up and hopes he doesn't have to say it. "Did Gohan not tell you?"
"...Tell me what?"
"I- I-" He sighs, "Fine... But I'm only telling you... because I'd rather you hear it from me than from him or- Uhg. Or mom."
"Tell me what?" He says hopeful his son is finally warming back up to him.
"That I'm-" He'd find out eventually, wouldn't he? "... I'm gay."
Goku seems to take in this information and process and reprocess it but never draws a conclusion on it's meaning, "What's that?"
"What do you mean, 'what's that?'"
Goku doesn't say anything and Goten realizes with painful clarity he's going to have to spell it out. He drags his palm down his face. Vegeta fucked you! More than once apparently! So why do I have to explain this to you? "It means- ... I can't believe you don't- This is embarrassing. It means I-" Suddenly the words catch. "I'm-" He looks at his father who is just standing there waiting for him to continue and Goten's brain suddenly starts running through a list of worst case scenarios- wait, why the fuck am I worried about what he thinks? But the feeling doesn't dissipate. It's not like he'll care anyway, right? ... Right? He holds his breath and avoids eye contact as he says it, "It means I'm attracted to men."
"... You are?!"
"Yes." He says flatly.
A hundred thousand thoughts run through Goku's head, but all he ends up saying in response is, "Okay!" and then he Smiles? Why is he smiling? Goten didn't have a clue on how to internalize that. Of all the different reactions Goten had anticipated none of them had been a simple declaration of acceptance. Is he actually... happy? For me? ... .. .
The truth was how could Goku not smile? It was a huge relief to finally meet someone he could talk to about this! His son was so much smarter than him too! He would definitely know the answers. But Goku continued to stand there silently bursting at the seams with questions because he didn't know how to ask any of them quite yet without mentioning the fact that he has been cheating on his wife for the better part of a decade with... Vegeta... right. That. His smile begins to fade.
"And that's... all you have to say?"
"I-" Goku meets his son's eyes with sudden worry, "Was I supposed to say something else? I don't- it's not- It's just... how you are, right? You're Saiyan, so that means it's ok. and- it's-"
Goten let's out a short laugh at how flustered his father looked suddenly trying to find the right words to reassure him, "If that's all you had to say, then you don't have to say anything else. I was just... making sure."
"Oh. ... Does Chi know? What, uh, what did she say?"
"Well, she didn't take the news as well as you did. That's for sure."
"She didn't?"
Goten shrugs, "You should ask her about it." Then he furrows his brows, "Wait, backup a sec. Did you just say it's because... I'm Saiyan?"
"I- well, yeah! It's common for Saiyans. ... isn't it?"
"What?" Goten feels his brain blank.
"It's... yeah, it's normal."
"Normal?! Where the fuck did you get that idea? Wait, no- ok, humor me. How 'common' is it for Saiyans?"
"Just, um, for the lower classes I think because they're..." How did Vegeta put it? This didn't sound right now that he was saying it out loud. Goku looks away and finally utters, "I don't really know. But it's ok. Vegeta told me it was ok."
Goten's brows raise in shock, "Vegeta... told you...? It's... a Saiyan thing? A low class Saiyan thing?" Goku nods hesitantly. "And you... believed him?"
"What do you mean? Why- why wouldn't I believe him?" Goten stares at his father in disbelief. And then it clicks. No. Fucking. Way. There is NO way THAT'S why he-
"Dad. Are you... are you gay?" He waits for his father to deny it, but he never does.
"That means you only like... guys?"
"Yeah."
Goku's face begins to turn red and his eyes flit away as the room grows very quiet. "I think he called it something else."
Goten's mouth drops open. "You're-" His father nods. No, this can't be right... there was just no way the man standing in front of him, the had-been most powerful being in the galaxy, his father, is in the fucking closet?! He stifles a snort. "Well, that's... Great." His father visibly relaxes and sits on the edge of the bed. "But I'm curious. This whole... 'Saiyans are gay thing' is actually news to me. So I'm just wondering... what exactly did Vegeta tell you about it?"
"Uh, just that... it's... common because ...because Saiyans were warriors and they... spent a lot of time... on the battlefield ... together." Goten nods with continued interest, "and that class and strength were more important. ... Than who you liked, so it's not-"
"Right, right. Of course they are. That makes so much sense." And suddenly Goten knew exactly what this 'arrangement' was that Vegeta had with his father. He knew why Vegeta wasn't interested in himself and he knew how to change his mind. He wasn't far behind. And now with you to train me I bet I'll surpass him in no time. Because everyone was right...
You are the best fighter I've ever seen.
"It does?"
"...Sure! So... Vegeta knows?" Oooobvioussllyyyyyyyyyy. Goku nods, "Does... anyone else?"
Goku shakes his head, "Or- Bulma knew. But- she and I... weren't friends after... she found out..."
"Some friend."
"I... wasn't a good friend either."
Well, now you're just making it sound like you two fought over Vegeta. Guess you won. "Hm. And so... what made you talk to Vegeta about this?" What can I get you admit? "...Is he also-"
"No." Goku says quickly. "I don't know, really. What made me ask him." He laughs awkwardly. "I just thought, he knows a lot. About Saiyans. If anyone would know why I... felt this way... then it would be him."
"Ah." Oooh this is getting worse and worse, isn't it? Goten knew Vegeta wasn't a nice guy, but using someone's insecurity with themselves for a satisfying power fuck? Because that's definitely what it was. It's definitely what it felt like! He hums over his thoughts. Wow. What a monster. Although, maybe he shouldn't be so surprised. His father's reputation of naivety was currently preceding him after the events of today. And Vegeta, well. I already know what an asshole he can be.
Any guilt Goten had about what he'd done was starting to evaporate and now he felt something unfamiliar, he almost felt bad for his father. I mean, what a way to pack in an insult! 'Lower Class.' Did he tell you only the lower class take it, too? Or was that just you being so desperate to get laid you complied with anything he said?
His father's expression tells him everything he needs to know "Well, that's all... incredibly interesting. But uh, dad, so then... why... are you with mom?"
"...What?"
"Yeah. I mean, most gay guys, it might surprise you to learn, don't get married to women and have kids."
Goku rouges a little. "I didn't- uh, Chi Chi and I married so young... I knew something wasn't- I thought I was just- I don't know." Goku begins knotting the sheets underneath his fingers, "I don't regret it though. You and Gohan mean everything to me." His face brightens as he looks up at his youngest son.
Aw. How could I hate that stupid fucking face. Goten is just shy of sneering back. Trying to contain how dumbfounded he is by his father's ignorance; trying not to make a biting comment about how he sure had a funny way of showing he cared. "So... you've just... continued to stay with her all this time? Even though you're unhappy?"
"I'm not... unhappy."
Goten raises his brow in doubtful pity, "Right. But I imagine you're happier when you're... with someone else..."
He laughs uncomfortably, "Of course not, Goten. That's cheating. I would never-" He looks away, "Never cheat on her. She's... she's my wife-"
Goten shakes his head with a chuckle, "Wow, you are a terrible, and dad I really mean terrible, liar."
"I-"
"It's ok, I'm not gonna judge you for it. Trust me, it's mom, I get it. And this is kind of... a unique situation, don't you think?" Goku looks at his son with reluctant relief and nods weakly. Goten waits for his father to open up and change his answer but he doesn't so Goten presses, "So... Have you? ...Been with someone else?"
"I- ... Yes. Just... one... other person." He admits quietly.
Oh... no... It could not get worse. He was the ONLY one you've-?! Vegeta just likes to RUIN Saiyans, doesn't he?
Goku continues in an impossibly small voice. "We we're... seeing each other for... a few years before I left."
"Wh- years?!" Goten can't hold back his surprise. Goku looks away and his son scrutinizes his face very carefully. "And... are you still seeing him?"
Goku thinks for longer than Goten felt he needed before eventually deciding, "Not... right now."
Definitely going to need to fix that to a simple, 'No.' Not that he'll be interested in someone so weak anyway.
"...That wasn't why I was gone by the way-" He suddenly rushes out, "I wasn't- wasn't seeing him while I was gone- That wasn't why I le-"
"Dad." Goten puts his hands up reassuringly, "I'm not mad at you about that. I mean, I was. But I'm not anymore." He places both hands on his father's shoulders and looks him dead in the eye with a half smile and pitying look, "In fact it's good to have you back. So good. We have more in common than I ever realized!" He grins widely at his father and decides not to break his spirit by pressuring him to admit who he had cheated with. I'll save that can of worms for a rainy day.
Seeing Goten's canines gleam like that unsettles Goku and makes him doubt the words coming from between them. "This. This was a good talk, dad, I feel like we can finally reconnect. But hey, look, it's getting late. We told mom you'd be back tomorrow. Didn't want her worrying about you. (you know how she gets). So, catch some shut eye because we have a lot of training ahead of us."
His father opens his mouth but Goten already knows what he's going to say, "Don't worry I won't tell anyone about what you said. It's just between us. You can trust me."
Goku's not sure what made his son change his mood so suddenly. He should feel relieved, he did. Earlier. Not so much now as he watches Goten hit the lights on his way out. As he lays back the muscles in his shoulders and neck knot with tension. His son procdeeded to get the best sleep he's had in months while Goku tosses and turns until day break thinking to himself that while he had planned to try and get to know his son better, instead... it was Goten... who had just learned almost everything there was to know... about me...
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A/N: Sorry this is late! T_T Crazy week. This dialogue also took me quite a while to really rework until I had something that I was truly satisfied with. Ultimately I'm finding that my initial draft is more of an outline of events and this draft is really hammering out motives and development through dialogue.
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Prologue	By : Herpb4uDerp Category: Missing Data > Missing Data Views: 194 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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Prologue