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Uncertainty and Pride	By : TristaML Category: Dragon Ball Z > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 1864 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or anything of the sort and I make no money from writing this piece of fanfiction

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
- 9
Chapter 8
When the King awoke the next day to the beeping of the draining sequence he saw only Raditz sleeping on the couch in the waiting area. He looked around and knew exactly where he was, but he wasn’t exactly sure how he got there. Raditz stirred at the sound of the pod opening and he was elated to see his King awake, but he noticed how tired he looked, still.
When Vegeta emerged he dried up quickly and Raditz asked him quietly if he was alright.
The King only grunted in reply, but the soft look in his eyes told him he appreciated him and Raditz sighed nervously. “What is it?” King Vegeta asked him gruffly. “Don’t tell me you were worried.”
“Well,” Raditz laughed anxiously, and decided not to say that he was. Instead he admitted, “I’ve been trying to get a moment with you for a few days now...”
“Oh?” the King asked, giving much thought to what was about to be said. He knew, though, why Raditz was here, moreover, he asked, “Could this have something to do with Banin?”
Raditz smiled at him nervously and said, “Yes, my Lord. I’m sure you heard. I’m going into a Merger with him.”
The King stared at him, but the look was gentle and his thoughts were keen. Recalling having seen them together multiple times in the past, he wondered how he never saw it coming. Finally he said, “I noticed the rather touchy display of affections the two of you shared at the celebration. I only wonder how long it is now that you’ve kept this a secret from me.”
Raditz couldn’t shake his discomfort as he replied, “Your Highness, we’ve been dating for four years, but he only asked me five days ago. I had planned to tell you before that night, but I couldn’t find the right moment, and as the days passed neither of us wished to keep it a secret any longer.”
“Hn,” King Vegeta replied, before supposing, “And you’re both aware of the trouble you may get from such a mergament.”
“Yes, your Highness, but,” Raditz hesitated, “I thought that…”
“…That I would be happy for you?” King Vegeta said, finishing his statement.
“Yes,” Raditz answered meekly, and he hung his head down for a moment, unable to meet his King’s eyes.
King Vegeta smirked after a few moments of contemplation and replied, “Far be it from me to keep you from happiness, Raditz. You’re lucky, you know, not many Elites are willing to make a sacrifice like this to be with someone they care for.” Emotions, especially the particular understanding of “love”, were seldom something talked about amongst Saiyans, especially the men. As people of war, they could not afford to give up even the pretense of sensibility and oneness. Generally, men of higher rank would not risk a Merger with anyone at all their entire lives in order to remain in complete control and operate on optimum strength. Love, was, however, seen as something the Royals could afford and ought to find sooner rather than later. Many Saiyans revered the very idea as a gift given only to those deemed worthy by spiritual standards, which did not mean that it did not happen for all of them, only that they had a hard time with sharing their love-lives with the world. Often people who are “together” are not talked about in that way, they are simply “grouped together,” now that Banin and Raditz are “together,” no one would say, ‘I’m going to see Raditz,’ They would say, ‘I’m going to see Raditz and Banin.’
“Thank you, your Highness!” Raditz said excitedly. “Banin! He’s a good man!”
“He is… I have known him a long time, and I am not surprised that you two would take a liking to one another. I will add that I approve and I should hope to afford you more peaceful times than not, with my recommendation,” the King said with grace and mercy, but his thoughts were far removed from the topic at hand the more he began to remember of what had happened before he was put into a Regeneration Tank.
Raditz bowed to him and thanked him again, elated by his response and too wrapped up in his own affairs to notice the subtle change in the King’s demeanor. “I’m sorry I kept it from you.”
“No,” The King replied, distantly, and he thought to himself, ‘I know exactly why you did.’ They exchanged mutual glances of appreciation for one another before the King spoke again, some humor in his voice, “Now, care to tell me how I got in here and who has been here?”
Raditz smiled cheekily and told him everything he knew.

Kakarot was being harassed in the training arena. Many people he had never talked to before were coming up to him and asking him what happened the other night between him and the King as well as many other questions which remained unanswered. Kakarot was surprised by the amount of Saiyans coming out of the woodworks to speak with him, but he could not allow himself to become in any way ensnared by their speculations. He calmly kept right on training, with no regard for them whatsoever. None of them were ballsy enough to try and fight him, so their daunting presence was nothing to be concerned over.
Needless to say, when Raditz walked in the scene changed, like kids in the school yard scatter when the teacher comes. Not only was news spreading quickly of Raditz’s soon to be Merger with Banin, but they all knew how the King liked his number one errand boy and they wouldn’t dare trifle with him, especially after what happened with Rori.
Raditz, though beneath most of them in rank, was far higher in the totem pole than any of them, and they were well aware of his position at the top. He casually strolled up to his brother, and all it took was a nod for Kakarot to know that the King is awake and wishes to see him. When he approached his brother, Raditz told him to go his room, and Kakarot left without a word and all of the tension in the room had nowhere to go but to dissipate. Raditz paid no attention to any of them before he left and their gossiping started back up again the moment he was gone.
Kakarot realized as he walked through the halls hurriedly, that he had not considered what the King might want. He walked on nonetheless, and when he entered his bedroom he was not surprised to find the King, but for once he was sitting on the couch. Upon his entrance, though, the King stood up and crossed him arms.
Kakarot bowed and took in the whole picture of him. Although he looked exhausted, he was still stronger than ever before, and Kakarot felt hopeful for a moment for all their hard work.
Vegeta looked at Kakarot and thought of their last kiss, even though he told himself he wasn’t going to.
Kakarot was saying to him, just to break the ice, “The Gravity Machine has not yet been fixed, your Highness.”
“You broke it, I heard?” he asked to confirm it, curious at his mood and subdued by his own musings over their last encounter. He considered himself to be in a state of shock.
“I ripped the door off to get to you, it was locked and I had already unplugged it to turn it off, there was no other way,” Kakarot explained.
Vegeta stared at him but gave no reply, not even a murmur of “hn” as a “thank you.” Kakarot didn’t expect anything more, though, and stood by expectantly. “Fine,” King Vegeta finally said after a moment of spacing out, “You said you wanted to talk about something I agree needs discussing.” Kakarot was thrilled to hear those words, or any words that meant anything similar and he listened as Vegeta’s piercing gaze was directly upon him, and he was saying, “You want to talk about our enemy and my course of action… and I want to know what you know.”
“Your Highness,” Kakarot answered, trying to keep his emotions in check, “I don’t know who he is, I was hoping you would tell me.”
Vegeta frowned and although his hesitance was plain, he still answered, a little numb from his previous conversation with Bardock, and a little annoyed that he’s become the go between of information on this topic, “His name is Brolly, and I should think that you’ve never heard that name before.”
Kakarot’s eyes widened and he feared worse than he could have possibly wanted. Brolly- the Brolly? Both he and Vegeta are going to have to become Super Saiyans for them to win a fight against him. No matter how much Kakarot wanted it to happen, he just couldn’t see it happening for them right now, not at the level they’re currently at. Maybe… he just didn’t know. Besides, the others who helped in Goku’s timeline aren’t here, how will they be able to do it alone?
“So you do know of him? What do you know- and how?!” Vegeta asked at his silence, morbidly interested. His very name was supposed to be a secret known only amongst a very exclusive group of Saiyans. The very name of him was kept from even the King when he was just a Prince, and it wasn’t until his father took his last mission that he ever truly learned who he is.
Kakarot nearly shuddered, but he felt the pride of what he knew could be, and would be, if they can get it together, and he replied, “From… my other life…He is… a formidable foe, your Highness, but we can take him, if we push ourselves.”
There was a determination in his eyes that Vegeta has not seen matched in anyone else’s, not to mention the fact that his “knowledge” would explain how he knew a name which he should never have been acquainted with. He wondered more and more at the truth in Kakarot’s claims, for there was much too much emotion on his face for him to be lying completely and Vegeta felt compelled to believe him. At that notion, Vegeta was reminded of the many visions in his dreams, and he snarled at Kakarot, jealous of him, “We?! Or you?!”
“What do you mean?” Kakarot asked, standing his ground at the first sign of turbulence in his King. He could tell Vegeta was dealing with some degree of animosity towards him and that is not what he needed! The King already turned him down, why stay angry with him, too? Still, ironically, he guessed that’s how it was meant to be. He had wished to hear another name besides Brolly, in all honesty- the other Vegeta did not respond well to him at first.
“I heard that you will be a Legendary!” Vegeta growled at him, his eyes darting into Kakarot’s and furious envy shown through them, but there were hints of uncertainty and curiosity, as well, which Kakarot could only have seen because of his awareness of him.
“You will too!” the third class replied quickly and Vegeta’s eyes widened as he added, determined to explain it better, “You and I can both reach that level, and many levels beyond it!”
“Do not fuck with me, Kakarot; I have no time for it!” Vegeta barked and he stood tall in spite of his short stature.
“It’s the truth!” the young man replied in certainty and desperation. It was hard enough just to speak with him casually, but this bantering was helping nothing, and Kakarot couldn’t understand why he was so disbelieving.
Vegeta was inquisitive but angry, and he couldn’t take his eyes off of Kakarot, or his thoughts off the idea of so much power. He asked, “How are we supposed to reach such a level?”
Kakarot answered all of his questions out right as calmly as he could, “Well… there are ways. The Gravity Machine for one… it’s what I used in the other timeline… and it became your favorite toy. You seldom left it and often destroyed it… trying to reach higher plateaus.”
King Vegeta grinned and was immediately blinded by the idea of more power. That depiction certainly sounded like him. Still, he couldn’t be so sure, and he asked, “So Bardock got the idea from your visions?”
“Yes, but he figured out how to construct it all on his own, I have no knowledge of how it was made, only that it could be done,” Kakarot answered, nervous by the looked which crossed through his King’s eyes.
Vegeta couldn’t believe all of what he was hearing, but his blood and power lust drove him first and foremost, and he wondered where to go from here, since using the machine wasn’t an option at the moment.
Kakarot waited, watching him, not knowing what to say next. He didn’t wish to rattle the King’s cages in any way, and he knew well that the King was surrounded by them.
A blip went off on Vegeta’s communication device and he answered it. It was Raditz and he said that he has found Bardock. The King acknowledged the news before cutting it off. He let his gaze on the young man hold for a minute in silence before he decided that he would end this conversation for now. He told Kakarot he was going to see his father and began to leave. Kakarot decided to join him and he’d already begun walking in stride with him as he told him so.
There was nothing King Vegeta could say to deter him, and he was feeling so strange around the other man that he didn’t know quite how to behave, so he said nothing and kept to himself. The last thing he wanted was for Kakarot to know that he was having any kind of effect on him whatsoever. The only way to completely remain undetected would be to ignore his presence entirely, and stay a good distance from his side when they were around one another.
When they arrived in the room the GM was held in, they saw that Bardock had already gathered a fix-it crew and that they were working tirelessly to put it back together again. The repairs were nearly done but not quite ready.
Bardock turned and smiled at the sight of both of them and said, “Your Highness! My son! By tomorrow we should be up and running again.” He was in no way willing to allow his son or his king train in a faulty Machine, and although it might be fixed by later on this evening, he wanted the extra time to test it out first.
King Vegeta only nodded at him, in his mind he was determined to continue his training elsewhere until then.
Kakarot thanked his father, a soft look in his eyes apologizing for the fight they had gotten into earlier. He turned to his King, saying, “What do you have to say about spending a little time outdoors today?”
King Vegeta turned to him and his blank and stoic stare nonchalantly hid some of his excitement as he smirked and replied, “You pick the place, Kakarot.”

Seven hours later and they were finally tiring down. Vegeta had gotten so much stronger, but Kakarot was keeping up with him, and although it was pissing the King off, he marveled at him all the same. When they called it quits Kakarot collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily with a small smile on his lips and eyes closed. King Vegeta watched him before settling a yard away on the turf. Kakarot slept easy, while Vegeta thought about the young man. Sleep overtook him, too, before he knew it.
When the King awoke only two hours had passed and it was now nighttime and Kakarot had started a fire and was roasting several animals over it. The smell was incredible, and it reminded Vegeta of when he travelled under Frieza’s army, and how he and Raditz and Nappa used to make their meals on the planets that they had captured. It also brought him back to the time in his life when his father taught him how to hunt and cook his prey like this. What he wouldn’t give to have another day with him.
“You’re awake just in time,” Kakarot said, “Here,” and tossed him a piece of the cooked meat.
Vegeta caught it and ate it quickly, but he was staring Kakarot down suspiciously. He was famished, though, and, King or not, in his hunger he stood up and went over to the fire and began helping Kakarot cook the meats. They ate as they went, and soon they both felt better, and they could tell as their strength returned, that they were getting stronger.
“We need more time,” Kakarot mused to himself and the King heard him. Kakarot looked over quickly at the King and managed to say, “At least, we’re not ready yet, your Highness.”
“Hn, well, at least there’s no such thing as too much strength,” Vegeta replied.
“It’ll be enough when we need it, that’s all we can hope,” Kakarot answered, unwilling to be so deluded by power or to believe them incapable of defeating Brolly. Why should he have this knowledge if he’s not meant to do anything with it? He had to believe they could win, but in his heart and his mind his thoughts were bent towards Vegeta, and how much he wished to confide in him.
King Vegeta’s mind was as unfocused as ever, and he couldn’t remain entirely engulfed in Kakarot’s presence or in their endeavors. He briefly thought of Rori, and of Frieza, and his father, and he wished he could shut his mind off for just one day, but he knew that wasn’t an option. He had to return to the castle and manage his men, but all he wanted to do was rest.
Kakarot could sense that the King was weighing his options and overwhelming himself with personally asserted responsibility. There was nothing he could do for him, not at this point. He was still a third-class, and still just a sparing companion, and he feared pushing himself on the King would only separate them.
Finally the King said with a hint of awkwardness and reluctance, “I must go back.”
Kakarot asked, “Really? So soon…”
The King wouldn’t look at him as he explained, with an air of unmatched regality and responsibility, “I have matters I need to attend to.”
“Your Highness…,” Kakarot said at his hesitance, but Vegeta left anyways, and Kakarot had to let him go. The young man, having not slept well the night before, fell asleep again under the stars and the whirling of the night clouds with some ease, though his dreams were filled with the King and the frightening face of Brolly.
King Vegeta, who could not find rest quickly, did some extensive research on the day in Saiyan history when Frieza fell, just to be sure that Bardock’s story of Brolly sleeping next to Kakarot in the pods were true, and of Kakarot being shipped out that day as well. When the King returned to his own chambers, all of the confirmed information floating around in his head, he passed out on top of his bed, still dressed and atop of his covers, alone, anxious, and confused.

Long weeks passed in the castle. Longer for some than for others, as Raditz was used to spending his time doing daily tasks for his King and anyone who found him useful. Life in the castle was his type of life, then again, he’s lived here for so long, he could hardly remember life at home in the gentle but watchful care of his father.
Raditz did try to make some time for his family now that he felt more settled with his own affairs. Honestly, he was glad to have his family so close again, and glad to be out in the open about his love for Banin. Even Bardock seemed pleased to be back in the mix of things, especially when it came to his eldest son, but Kakarot could not have felt more differently on the subject, Raditz could tell.
To him, the lack of seeing family all of the time was nothing, but he saw Kakarot’s reserved manners as of late, and he knew that he did not like living in the castle so much as Raditz had hoped that he would. That does not mean that Raditz couldn’t make at least some of his time here as nice as possible. Why Kakarot was upset he couldn’t say for certain, but he could tell something was bothering him, and it troubled Raditz more than he let on.
Since he and Banin were well known as a couple now, he felt that he should invite him, too. He hoped to give his little brother a genial distraction from whatever was on his mind and he desired a relationship to develop between the two, but he didn’t think it would ever happen if he did not make them each go out of their way to spend some time together. Still, he knew they could have a happy friendship, given the chance.
It has been very quiet in the castle since Rori’s death, at least from Raditz’s point of view. No one knew exactly why Raditz and Rori had started fighting, but the three men who had attended the meeting that morning with Rori had their suspicions. Since then, those men, whom Raditz has not made known that he is aware of, must have spread the news that they could have found a new common enemy. Even fewer people now are apt to speak to Raditz than before, at least not in an individual manner. He knew that the men who are followers of Rori are all around him, still, and he couldn’t tell which Saiyan was for the King, or against him. No one could be trusted.
All the more reason, Raditz believed, to stay as true to his King and his beloveds than ever before. Kakarot, Banin, and his father could be relied upon if necessary, but Raditz found it best to carry this burden alone for now, lest he get anyone in trouble, or end up stirring the pot before it’s come to a boil.
It’s an awful predicament he’s found himself in, where, if he were to begin asking questions, he wouldn’t know who to go to first, and one wrong word to the wrong person could literally get him killed, or even put more of a threat over the King. The bigger fear there, he wasn’t sure who was really friend or foe, if Rori, the King’s lover, was able to pull such a scheme against him, then how could Raditz trust even his two best friends, Ivony and Jetome? (Not to say that he doesn’t; only that he couldn’t count anyone out.) How he dared to speak with them on this matter! He wished to talk to King Vegeta on such a story, too, of course, but how could he bring up such a subject with nothing but a he-said, she-said, by the way I’m the reason you killed your ex-lover to prove himself by. Besides, his Highness has been far too busy recently with his training, and when he isn’t training, he says little and seems to be woefully engaged in very personal and secret, premeditated goals.
Raditz decided to simply bide his time for now and hope that he could think with more clarity in the future. He was determined to stand by just as he was and listen for anything suspicious or uncommon from even the happiest and most contented Saiyans he knew, Kakarot included, for although he knew his brother to be a good man, and on their side, he also knew that his brother was withholding information from him.
It was seldom that he had a moment to spare in time, but Raditz planned on making the most of it when he did, so he arranged to have a nice meal packed for them and a servant dropped it off to his place of choice. When the time came, he, Banin, and his brother sat down to eat just outside the grounds of the castle, still well within the property, but out of sight and mind from any nosy spectators.
Raditz, who was (also) accustomed to hiding dark secrets, did his best to not only begin in good-humored conversation but lead it in Banin and Kakarot’s direction. Banin was as jovial as ever, but some of his jokes seemed to be going right over Kakarot’s head, and Kakarot was all smiles, but Raditz could see that his mind had not been won over even during such enjoyable moments as these.
The communication device that Raditz carried (and sometimes dreaded) went off and he knew it to be his King. He left straightaway, and urged the two of them to stay and talk and enjoy themselves.
Awkward minutes went by for some time before Kakarot realized that he was being rude by not trying harder when Banin clearly wished to initiate a more intimate conversation. It couldn’t be helped that his mind was elsewhere, on training and more important things. Still, he began to ask Banin questions which he felt he had the right to know, or at least, which weren’t too impertinent to make Banin think of him ill.
Kakarot wondered, “Has it been difficult, lately, with all of the castle’s eyes on you?”
Banin chuckled, knowingly, and replied, “Yes, but I think you know something about that, and so surely you can understand that it’s not the most difficult thing to endure.”
Kakarot smiled and said, “I didn’t choose such scrutiny, though, and even though it’s been a surprise to me, I’m sure there was a bit of anxiety in knowing that you would be changing your lives after the announcement.”
Banin thought on what he said for a moment before he remarked, his voice laced with more humor than anything, “Not much has changed, really. Saiyans show their true colors every day, for many reasons of less importance than this, and losing a friend only means gaining a better relationship with those who do stay by your side. The end results are well worth it.”
Kakarot knew Banin to be of the intelligent sort, and, not knowing what else to say, he added, “I can’t believe how long you two kept your relationship secret.”
Banin chuckled, he’s been hearing that a lot, “To be honest, Kakarot, we were in the middle of it before I even realized it had begun.”
“You liked sneaking around, then?” Kakarot laughed, “I guess it could be thrilling in a way, if you were into that sort of thing.”
Banin smirked at him, and had he known him better, he might have teased him on the matter concerning him and their King, for he’s been of the opinion that there’s something more to their relationship than they are leading on, even if Raditz innocently disagrees, but he kept his thoughts on that to himself, and instead he replied, “I realized one day that I didn’t want it to ever end, and that when all the thrill of sneaking around was gone, I would still wish to see him. Then it turned from not only wanting to see him all of the time, but wanting everyone to know that he is mine, and that I am his.”
Kakarot smiled at him, again, saying, “Then you truly love him.”
It was Banin’s turn to smile, and he confided in him, “If I confess something to you, will you promise to keep it a secret?” Kakarot nodded, and Banin said, without much reluctance, like it was something he’d been dying to tell someone, “It was the recent events surrounding Rori which made me realize that I could not go on living with myself without proposing to him as soon as possible.”
Kakarot was touched, but he did not truly understand, until Banin added, “You see, Kakarot, when I heard that Raditz was in the Regeneration Tanks, my heart could have failed me for fear of his poor condition, but because of the status of our relationship I was unfit to see him. Those hours while he healed were the longest of my life, and I vowed to myself that I would not let petty differences in our society keep us apart. I hated that I could not be by his side, and I realized that I could never let anything like that happen again.”
What could Kakarot say? He was so moved that he actually hugged Banin, who was surprised by the contact, but he returned the gesture, as Kakarot held him tighter still. Finally Kakarot stated, “It is as Raditz has said many times now, you are a good man and I know exactly what you mean.”
Banin was not a fool, and he could see the sentiment in Kakarot’s eyes and he knew that it was meant for more than just his brother. Still, he was saw that their brief discussion of those things had brought about Kakarot’s acceptance. Their conversation flowed with ease after that, and both men were grateful for the honest connection. Banin couldn’t have agreed more with his lover’s opinion of Kakarot; Raditz’s depiction of his tender heart was spot on, and as they talked, Banin swore there was nothing he could say to spark anger in him, and he wondered at what type of man he will become in a few years’ time and experience.

“Raditz! What took you?” The King’s voice boomed as he entered his quarters.
“My Lord,” Raditz spoke, though he looked at him strangely, for the King looked a little less… put-together than usual. He was rummaging through papers at a desk, with one boot on, and only a sock on the other foot, and without his usual armor. Raditz got the faint recollection of the late King as he watched him and he smiled sadly. When he finally got his voice back he said, “I was in the middle of a luncheon.”
“Oh,” Vegeta said, and a queer look came into his King’s eyes. “Well do come in and be seated at once.”
“Sire,” Raditz nodded and took a seat at the King’s orderly desk. “What can I do for you, My Liege?”
Vegeta said nothing at first, as his eyes scanned over several documents at once. At length he spoke, “I need your secrecy and cooperation, and you know how I hate to ask for help.”
“Yes, my Lord, but it is my pleasure to be of assistance to you.”
“Good,” Vegeta nodded, and the manner of the King was less stately and more concerning than anything else. Raditz heard him say, “I am going to tell you something you must not repeat, is that understood?”
Raditz replied, “Of course, my Lord,” and he bowed his head in promise.
The King seemed to hesitate, but finally he spoke, “I am expecting some visitors to the castle, though I cannot tell you who they are, or when they will arrive. I need you to look out for anything and anyone that you do not recognize immediately.”
‘What a vague request,’ Raditz thought, but he was used to somewhat indistinct commands from his King. He asked, “My Lord, could you tell me any names… or what they might look like?”
Vegeta only replied, “No titles, and their features I cannot give in detail; I can only say that they favor our people in looks.”
“My Lord,” Raditz began to wonder at the oddity of his new entreaty, “Is everything alright?”
“Don’t worry about my affairs, Raditz,” his Highness replied, nonchalantly, but the sincerity in his eyes made Raditz all the more concerned.
Raditz only bowed his head in consent.
Vegeta spoke to him on a few other subjects before he finally allowed him to leave, but Raditz only wondered about what could be going on and who these visitors could be.
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Uncertainty and Pride