Adult-FanFiction.org : Gundam, Beyblade, DBZ, FMA

Survival of the Fittest	By : 2dragonkat Category: Dragon Ball Z > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 11967 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ and its characters, they belong to Akira Toriyama. The only parts that do belong to me are the plot and the twins. I also do not make any profit/money from this either.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
- 9
Chapter 8 – “Past, Present and Future”

WC: 3,091

AN: UPDATE April 30, 2011 - I'm terribly sorry for the delay in this update. My inspiration tanked for this story a month ago. But then I realized I was pushing myself too much to follow the plans I had laid out. So I approached this story again differently and I banged out two chapters in one go. Again, my deepest apologies for this delay. I'm realizing I really shouldn't have started posting this story until more of it was done. But now I'm feeling a little better about it. Also note ch8 has not been betaed so any mistakes are all my own. It's possible this chapter might change slightly in the future but not plot wise, once I hear back from my beta. Thank you all for your patience and I hope the wait was worth it. And just so you know it's going to get much darker before we get to the end, and it all starts with this chapter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Piccolo watched as a tree slowly fell to the forest floor, split in half by his attack. He walked up to the wood, inspecting it. Piccolo frowned as he observed the ragged edges to the near perfect split. “Not nearly good enough,” he grumbled to himself.

He turned his back to the tree, marching off to another part of the forest to continue training. Piccolo was determined to get stronger. He wanted to be as powerful a warrior as his friend Goku, nothing less would suffice. Piccolo just had to get stronger. It was the only way. He found a rocky outcrop, with enough boulders and rocks for him to practice with. Piccolo fell into a fighting stance, preparing to blast an elephant sized boulder to kingdom come when a figure landed in front of him, disrupting both his concentration and training.

“Gohan I’m busy,” Piccolo said monotonously, turning his back to his mate so he could resume blowing up inanimate objects.

“Yeah, well that’s all you have been for weeks Piccolo, is busy. And I’m tired of it,” Gohan growled, putting a hand on Piccolo’s shoulder and spinning him around. “All you’ve been doing is train and train. It wasn’t so bad before a couple months ago because you still came home and were with me. But now I’m lucky if you come home at all. And if you do come home it’s only to sleep for a couple of hours before leaving.”

“I’m training.”

“You’re obsessed. You’re already so much stronger than you were before you started this years ago. Why are you still doing this much?!”

“I need to get stronger.”

“You need to come home.”

“Well you’re barely there as well. You’re a doctor in the village down in the valley and are just as busy as I am.”

“Damn it Piccolo. If you even bothered to pay attention to anything other than training you’d know I’m home a lot more than you, even with my job. Besides I’ve taken leave of my job.”

“What? Why?”

“Because my heat’s coming tomorrow.”

“What?!”

“Again, if you’d bother to come home you’d know this Piccolo. But I had to come all the way out here to remind you, when you should be at home with me preparing.”

“No…it’s too soon. I’m not ready.”

“What are you talking about?!”

“I need to be stronger.”

“You’re more than strong enough Piccolo. You need to slow down.”

“I need to be strong enough to protect you.”

Gohan took a deep breath, stopping himself before he said anything else. What his mate had just said gave him pause, and he thought about something he hadn’t before. Piccolo didn’t start his recent rigorous training until after a conversation they had had. A conversation a couple of months ago about their future together. And the closer Gohan’s heat came, the more obsessed Piccolo had become with improving himself.

“Piccolo,” Gohan said softly, reaching out to touch his mate’s cheek in sad realization. “Why do you need to get stronger?”

“To protect you.”

“Protect me from what, exactly?”

Piccolo didn’t answer, he just looked away from Gohan, cheeks tight and mouth drawn. He looked ashamed. Gohan’s heart twisted as something in the past reared its ugly head again. Neither of them had moved on as much as they made others believe.

“Do you want to be stronger so you can protect me from another miscarriage?”

“…”

“Piccolo, answer me! Is that what you feel?”

“I won’t let you go through that again.”

“It was my fault Piccolo. I was the one who got pregnant outside of my heat.”

“And I was the one who was too weak to give any strength to you and our child. I was powerless to support you. I couldn’t even tell you were pregnant.”

“Piccolo…you actually blame yourself?”

“Yes. I saw how Goku cared for Vegeta while he was pregnant, how he gave his strength to help Vegeta and the twins. I saw how powerful and supportive he was. And I realized that I lacked all of that.”

Gohan closed his eyes as the truth came out. For years now Piccolo had been training to get stronger, but it had only become more obsessive the closer they came to the date of his heat.

Apparently for as long as Gohan had been beating himself up over the loss, Piccolo had been doing the same thing. And it seemed they were both too stubborn to accept what had happened, had happened…and move on.

They had even talked about it months ago. Gohan had told Piccolo he wanted to try and have a baby again, but this time during his heat, which was that year. Piccolo was supportive, if a bit contemplative. He had said that they should keep it a secret, just in case their species were as incompatible as the first time. Which was a fear neither of them liked voicing.

But it seemed even then, they hadn’t said how they really felt about trying to have another child. Gohan had hidden his own fears, both at the thought of losing another child and at the thought of hurting his baby like he had his brother, Keigo. And apparently Piccolo had hidden his own shame over the matter, both at the thought that he wasn’t strong enough the first time to save their first child and at the thought that he was too weak even now to support another pregnancy.

It seemed even after so many years as mates, they still had trouble communicating.

“Piccolo,” Gohan said softly, voice husky with sadness. “I don’t blame you.”

His mate turned his head and looked at him finally, reaching up to brush the backs of his fingers against Gohan’s cheek. Gohan leaned into the touch, wrapping his hands lightly around Piccolo’s neck, gently massaging the tense muscles there.

“I don’t blame you,” Piccolo replied.

“We’re both a couple of idiots,” Gohan replied lightly, if a bit self loathingly, standing on his tip toes to bump his forehead against his mate’s.

“I guess so,” Piccolo said softly.

“We’re both going to have to get over it though. Because no matter how scared I am, and no matter how much shame you feel, I’m determined to have a baby with you. I want to have a child, Piccolo. I want to have your child.”

Piccolo said nothing. His mate seemed to contemplate what he had said, staring unblinkingly at Gohan’s collarbone, lost in his mind. His mate’s arms came around him, gripping his back and hip and pulling Gohan into a hug.

“Don’t you want to have a baby together, Piccolo?” Gohan asked softly, leaning into his mate and stroking the sides of his green face.

“More than anything,” Piccolo replied in kind, leaning his head down to rest his cheek against Gohan’s forehead.

“Then stop training night and day. Put your focus and energy into helping me. Because I can’t do this alone.”

His mate took a deep breath, his eyes closing as he pulled Gohan closer to his body. “Okay,” Piccolo whispered, and as he said it, his body seemed to loose some of the previous tension that had been rolling off him in waves.

“Now please come home,” Gohan pleaded in a whisper, tilting his head up to press a soft chaste kiss to his mate’s mouth, something they hadn’t done in far too long.

His mate groaned against him, tightening his hold on Gohan’s body while trying to deepen the kiss. But Gohan wouldn’t let him. Not yet anyway. First he wanted to get Piccolo home so they could lock themselves away for the next week or two. He wanted to have Piccolo all to himself. His lover’s training had been like a mistress, stealing more and more of Piccolo’s time until their relationship became strained and uncomfortable. But Gohan was going to win that war of attention. Piccolo's unneeded, excessive training would be kicked to the curb once Gohan reminded his mate of their unbreakable bond.

Piccolo probably didn’t even realize it yet, but he was already as strong as his father was when he powered up to a Super Saiyan level 3. Gohan could feel it, but his mate probably couldn’t sense his potential, just because he had been training blindly instead of feeling his strength grow. Gohan prayed to every god he knew that he got pregnant this time. He wanted to give that hope to both himself and his mate. He needed this to work…their relationship needed this to work.

Gohan slipped from Piccolo’s hold, taking his mate’s hand in his own as he lead them home. He decided to walk instead of fly, taking in the damp evening air, the smells of the forest and the calm of the world at that moment. Gohan took refuge in nature once more like he had after his miscarriage, gaining strength from the living, breathing organism that was the planet. Piccolo stayed silent on their walk, letting Gohan have his solitude in nature while still keeping them connected by their hands.

Once home Gohan took them straight to their room, not bothering to turn any lights on in the house. The bed was cool, causing Gohan to shiver as he lay down. The bed had been empty for many nights now, Gohan usually sitting up all night downstairs waiting for Piccolo to return from training. But after so long their bed would finally be utilized like it used to be, as a place to indulge in their connection to each other.

Piccolo climbed on the bed after him, settling his weight over Gohan’s body. He closed his eyes, pulling his lover down so that Piccolo rested over him fully. Gohan enjoyed the weight, how it made him sink even further into the mattress of their bed and the way it kept him warm on this cool night.

“I’m sorry,” Piccolo whispered into his ear, pressing a kiss to Gohan’s exposed neckline.

“Don’t talk,” Gohan said, his hands grabbing at Piccolo’s back tightly. “I’m done talking.”

Piccolo nodded, slipping his arms under Gohan’s shoulders to hold him closer. He released his grip on his lover’s back so he could return the hug, pressing his face against Piccolo’s shoulder to inhale his scent. Another thing he hadn’t done in far too long.

Gohan opened himself up to his mate like he never had before that night. He didn’t let their bodies part for any length of time, keeping Piccolo in his arms hour after hour. Relief surged through Gohan as his mate made love to him over and over. And then something seemed to click into place in his mind because of their union. Gohan now believed, without a shadow of a doubt, that they were going to have their baby.

As he was loved fiercely by his usually stoic Namek, Gohan allowed himself to relax and be happy, and to get excited about what was going to happen. In the safety of his mate’s arms Gohan let go of his fears and insecurities, just basking in the fact that he was going to have a baby with the man he loved.

Morning soon dawned and Gohan’s heat flared in his body, and he let it. He used his own life energy to change his body, preparing to bear a new life. His future with Piccolo was now underway.

Goten lay in bed in the small home he shared with his mate Trunks. He sighed quietly, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. Trunks sat on the bottom edge of their bed and was looking out their open bedroom window. Curtains billowed in the evening breeze as the two of them silently thought together.

“How was your brother,” Trunks suddenly asked, breaking the silence that had fallen over them.

“He’s alright. Gohan’s worried about Piccolo, he thinks he doesn’t want him any more. And then he’s worried about getting pregnant,” Goten replied, thinking back to the conversation he had had with his older brother the day before.

“Doesn’t sound too good.”

“Not really. But I think they’ll be fine. We talked for a while and he seemed calmer when he left. I told him he should put his foot down and reclaim Piccolo and to not be worried. They’ll end up having a beautiful baby.”

“Mhmm.”

Goten slowly sat up in bed, staring at his mate’s back. There was little light in the room, or warmth, so Goten pulled his knees to his chest as he squinted his eyes to see Trunks. He wrapped his arms around his legs as he rested his chin on his knees, taking a deep breath. Goten reached out and slowly placed a hand on Trunks’ back. For a fraction of a second his mate tensed before relaxing under his touch. Goten closed his eyes, sighing in resignation.

“This isn’t going to work…is it,” he asked softly, knowing Trunks would realize exactly what he was talking about. They had been talking about it for years now. It had started off small, just a passing remark. But over time it had become the elephant in the room they could no longer ignore.

“Not yet, Goten. In the future I have no doubt it will work…but right now…I just can’t Goten,” Trunks replied equally quietly, shifting his weight uncomfortably on the bed.

“So…you’re really leaving.”

“Yes…I’m not ready to settle, Goten…I’m not…”

“You’re not ready to be with me.”

“No.”

Goten released a shaky breath, gripping his hand against Trunks’ back for a moment before pulling away to lie back down. Rustling sounded after he moved as Trunks climbed into bed beside him. His mate curled around his body, holding Goten close and warming him up…though his heart still felt chilled. Goten closed his eyes as he snuggled into Trunks’ embrace, savoring the feeling of his body against his own.

“What will you tell everyone?” Trunks asked after a few moments of silence.

“I’ll figure it out,” Goten replied tiredly, not wanting to think about how he would explain their complicated situation to everyone…especially their papa.

“I won’t be gone long.”

“I know.”

“I love you, Goten, and I want to be with you. But I also need to get out and be on my own…I need to find out who I am. I’ve never been able to do that.”

“I know.”

“But when I find what I need I’ll come back, and we can start our lives together for real.”

“I know, Trunks…I know.”

Goten turned in Trunks’ arms, stroking a hand down the side of his mate’s face. He stared into his vibrant blue eyes, losing himself a bit like he always did. There was no changing Trunks’ mind, he was just as stubborn as their papa, if not more so. But it didn’t matter, because Goten understood exactly how Trunks felt.

They had been together all their lives, no time apart, no time to grow up on their own. Their mating had happened so fast, locking them to each other even more. They were soul mates, yes…but that fact hadn’t changed their lives like it should have. They had already been as close as they could be; their mating had felt anticlimactic after it happened. Trunks wanted to become his own man before they truly settled down. And Goten would let him, no matter how much it hurt…because he wanted to become his own man too.

It wouldn’t be forever. Trunks would have to be back in nine years at the latest for their next heat, or they risked insanity. But until then Trunks planned to travel the universe, something he had always desired to do and something Goten hadn’t wanted. Goten wanted to see the world they lived on, to find his path in life. They would both travel…until the day they would be together again.

“When are you leaving,” Goten finally asked, a question a part of him, the part madly in love, didn’t want to know the answer to.

“At sun up. Bulma has a ship ready for me.”

“Then make love to me Trunks, before you go.”

Keigo sat quietly on the forest floor, holding on to his brother’s pant leg as Takeo peeked through the foliage. It was at a moment like this that Keigo felt a disadvantage to being blind. Because he couldn’t see, he wasn’t able to check if a part of his most powerful vision was true. Instead his brother had to check. He was, though, extremely thankful for their bond, a feeling that never faded, because he could show his visions to Takeo just as his brother could show him what their world and family looked like.

Keigo didn’t often feel remorse over the fact that he couldn’t see, but he felt a twinge of it now. He really wanted to be the one to determine if the man sitting in the chair on the hill was the man he thought and hoped he was. But he could not, so Keigo would put his efforts elsewhere. As Takeo looked, Keigo kept his sense trained around them, keeping check of the Saiyans in the forest while also checking on their parents. Keigo didn’t want them to wake up and come looking for them before they had good news…or bad.

“Is it him?” Keigo asked anxiously, tugging on his brother’s pant leg.

Takeo didn’t answer at first but he did kneel down beside him. His brother took a hold of his hand and Keigo suddenly felt a tickling sensation in his mind. He immediately opened himself up as Takeo showed him what he had seen through their bond. Keigo sucked in a shaky breath as his brother’s view of the man in the chair became clear.

It was HIM.

It was the man Keigo was hoping it would be. The men standing on either side of the man were also who Keigo had seen in his vision, two men he knew would be important in his family’s future.

“It’s him,” Keigo whispered softly as he broke their connection, squeezing Takeo’s hand a little tighter.

“We should go get Father and Papa then,” Takeo responded simply.

“Yes, we sho–”

Keigo froze, his senses now focused outward once more since moments before they had been focused on their bond. In that short amount of time he had missed feeling a surge in energy and the feeling of two powerful beings coming closer.

“We’re too late,” Keigo said, standing up and pulling his brother up with him. “They’re already awake…and they’re headed this way.”
- 7
- 8
- 9
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Survival of the Fittest