Hunting Party

Hunting Party



“Wait!” Son Goku held out a hand, neatly catching the gloved fist of his opponent, his chest heaving for breath. “I have to go, Vegeta. It’s past dinnertime!”

The prince glared at him from under sweaty, drawn brows, his fists clenched and still ready to strike. “What!?” He couldn’t believe the baka would forsake their spar, especially since they’d seemed to be coming down to a victory for one or the other of them; their power had been slowly worn down, and now they were close to fighting only with raw physical will.

“If you’re so damned hungry, Kakarrot, we’ll hunt something down quick and get back to it!” Vegeta would be damned if he’d let the baka complain later that the only reason he had won out was because the idiot had been too hungry to fight.

Relaxing his stance, Vegeta looked over only to see a wounded-eyed expression and a wobbling lower lip on the other saiya-jin’s face. His scowl deepened. “What the hell are you blubbering about, Kakarrot?”

“That sure would be awesome, Vegeta! I’d love to camp with you!” Goku tapped his fingers together and scratched a hand through his hair. “But I have to go home for dinner...”

Surprised at such a suggestion and for some reason finding it tempting, as well, the prince merely folded his arms and gave him a bland look. This was something they had come close to discussing before, but Vegeta had not pursued it when the other saiya-jin shied away from the subject. But now he was exasperated enough to say it anyway. “Why do you listen to anything that bitch has to say anyway?”

Goku blinked. “She’s my wife. She said I had to.”

Wincing at the other saiya-jin’s obvious naiveté, Vegeta wiped a hand over his face and sighed with annoyance. “She’s your wife, baka, you’re not her slave! Just because she says something doesn’t make it so.”

“Are you sure, Vegeta?” Goku looked at him dubiously. Ever since they’d gotten ‘married’, Chi-chi had told him what to do, when, and how at every turn. She’d told him that was how people acted, and that it was what was expected of him now he was a husband.

“Idiot.” Vegeta murmured under his breath. The warrior before him wasn’t even a third-class saiya-jin if he took orders blindly from some weak ningen. It was long past time he learned a few things about his heritage. And if he didn’t, Vegeta was fully prepared to beat them into him. It was embarrassing.

“Don’t you hunt for your own food, Kakarrot?”

A bright smile greeted the question. “Well I used to, but that was before Chi-chi. Now we have to go to the store and buy food, and then she complains about how much it costs. She says hunting food is barbaric and makes it look like we’re poor.”

“Tch.” The prince grimaced. “She’s more of an idiot than you are.”

Blue boots shuffled on the disturbed and dirtied grass. Goku’s fingertips tapped together as he looked at the ground. “Umm...”

“Out with it, baka!” Vegeta surprised himself with the concern he felt, but of course he’d never let the baka in question know that; better to come off gruff than soft.

“I-“ At that moment Goku’s stomach snarled strong enough to shake the leaves on the trees around them. His cheeks tinted red as the noise subsided. “I’m hungry...”

Vegeta’s jaw dropped only for an instant, then worked for a full minute as he got his surprise and anger under control again. His fists clenched and unclenched; he wasn’t sure if he wanted to laugh himself to death or strangle the moron.

“Ugh. Kakarrot, I swear to the gods of Vegeta-sei, you are the most UN-saiya-jin, saiya-jin I have ever had the misfortune to meet!”

Dark brows drew down and a hurt look crossed Goku’s face. “It’s not my fault! It was your stupid planet that sent me here!”

The prince glowered back at him. “Yes, and no doubt it was your stupid stomach that led you to hit your damned head and forget everything!”

Goku stared at the ground again, feeling chastised and a little embarrassed. Sure, he claimed earth as his home, and he was happy to be a ningen fool. Except when he was around Vegeta. When they were together he felt acutely aware of his clumsy ignorance of his people. Plus, he wanted to please Vegeta. He always had. Even when the prince had threatened earth, he’d still wanted to impress him. But he hadn’t actually realized it until just that moment.

Goku rubbed the tip of one boot against the back of his other leg and darted a glance at the prince. The exasperation was still there on the pointed face, though slightly softened by a brief flash of compassion in the black depths of his eyes.

“Fine, Kakarrot. Go home, get something to eat. But meet me back here tomorrow morning. I’m going to teach you to hunt your own damned meals, saiya-jin style!”

The younger warrior grinned with surprise and delight. “Do you mean it, Vegeta!?”

“Yes I mean it! And if you’re not here I’ll pummel you into the ground next time I see you!”

The famous Son grin glowed from the innocent face. “Thanks, Vegeta!”

“Oh for kami’s sake!” The prince stalked a few feet away, glancing back at the other before taking to the air. “And take a bath!!

Goku grinned down at his bloodied and torn clothing, thinking Chi-chi was going to kill him but that it would be worth it.

****


The next morning dawned cool and bright, and Goku was already pacing back and forth in the shaded clearing when the prince made his appearance. Clad in an old gi and carrying a small backpack with a few other things he’d thought to bring, the younger warrior was scrubbed squeaky clean and nearly bouncing on his toes in anticipation.

“Hi, Vegeta!” The bright greeting sent a small flock of birds scrambling as it faded through the trees, and Goku had enough sense to blush at the scolding look on his prince’s face.

“Dammit, Kakarrot! If you’re going to be that noisy we’ll never catch anything!” Vegeta growled. “And if that’s the case I may as well go back and get some more sleep!”

“Awww!” Goku hung his head and peeked apologetically at the prince, his voice dropping to a dramatic whisper. “I promise I’ll be quiet!”

With a sigh of resignation, Vegeta reminded himself of the purpose of the entire outing and suppressed his natural sense of aggravation. “Fine, fine. Just remember that when we find a hunting ground.”

Goku nodded eagerly and clasped the handles of the pack, once again bouncing with eagerness. “So where are we going, Vegeta?”

The prince snorted and folded his arms. “You’re the one who’s lived here all his life, Kakarrot; you tell me where we can find something big enough to feed the both of us and give us a workout at the same time.”

“Hmm...” Goku folded his arms and rested his chin in one hand, brows drawn down in concentration. He didn’t want to hunt too close to home; Chi-chi might get wind of it and come drag him home by his ear or worse, yell and screech until he wished he had no ears. He wanted to show off to Vegeta, too. Someplace wild and suited to a ‘saiya-jin style’ hunt, but with big, dangerous game.

Just as he began to detect a growl of frustration welling up in the prince’s chest, it came to him. Face brightening, he beamed at the prince. “I know! When I was little and still exploring things after Grandpa died, I remember a place way to the northwest! It’s on this big plateau and it’s crawling with all kinds of animals and dinosaurs!”

“Charming story, Kakarrot.” Vegeta snorted. “Can we get going now?”

The younger saiya-jin’s grin rivaled the sun as it broke through the trees and Goku took to the air, Vegeta following close behind as they circled once then sped off toward the still-dark horizon.


****


After several hours of pleasant but silent flight, they arrived at their destination. It was bigger than Goku remembered, and he mused that usually things were the opposite -- that when you came back to places you remembered from childhood they usually looked smaller. He turned to Vegeta with a delighted grin.

“So, will this do?”

The prince looked out from the narrow cliff’s edge where they’d landed, and assessed the terrain below. Deciduous rainforest draped down from the snow-capped peaks above them and blanketed most of the vast escarpment below. A long valley stretched the length of it, breaking the tracts of forest with wide swaths of grazing, cut by a ribbon of water that pooled at one end into a deep lake before breaking through the stony barrier and plunging two thousand feet in a misty cataract that vanished into the lower hills.

All manner of creatures could be seen, heard, or smelled, even from a distance. Large herds of grazing animals dotted the grasslands and flocks of birds, ranging from tiny hummingbirds to large raptors, flew over the landscape in search of their next meal. Deep roars could be heard from the numerous grazing dinosaurs that roamed in groups of three or four and their predatory brethren.

Vegeta took a deep breath of the clear air, finding that it settled better in his lungs than that of the city he lived in now or the recycled, metallic-tasting air on-ship. He felt himself relaxing almost imperceptibly, feeling a not-quite-melancholy familiarity with the terrain. With a single nod he dropped into the air and swept down over the treetops to look for a campsite. Goku followed with what could only be described as glee.

“So what are we hunting, Vegeta? Do we do it now? How long will it take do you think?”

The prince, his eyes scanning the landscape, growled lightly. “You idiot, one doesn’t hunt just willy-nilly you know! First of all we need a place to camp, with water nearby and some shelter.”

Goku’s face scrunched in concentration. “Okay! How about there?” He pointed to their left and started in that direction.

“Kakarrot!” Vegeta glowered. “It’s not that easy to find a proper site.”

But Goku’s enthusiasm was not so easily dampened and Vegeta ended up following him. Much to his disgruntlement, the third-class had found a perfect spot with no effort whatsoever.

A fan of thick-leafed trees crowned a small hill, shading an area that was mostly level and grassy with only a few large rocks that provided more cover. The ground was loamy and somewhat soft, making the digging of a roasting pit that much easier -- not that it would be difficult with two saiya-jins at the task. Curling along one side of the hill was a small tributary to the larger river that cut through the valley.

Vegeta grumbled to himself and began tearing thick boughs from the tops of the trees. “Go find some firewood, Kakarrot, and plenty of it!” He watched the other saiya-jin bound off happily to his task as he drove the end of the first thickly leafed branch into the ground.

Within a few moments he had what he felt was a fairly snug arrangement; the heavy branches and broad leaves arched over the ground at about eight feet. Arranged in a semi-circle against the largest of the boulders on the hilltop it created a shelter big enough for both saiya-jins, yet allowed the flow of air and the feeling of outdoors.

Catching movement from the corner of his eye, the prince glanced up to find the younger warrior approaching with the entire skeleton of a dead tree. As he neared, Goku tossed the huge trunk into the air and blurred into motion. Vegeta’s eyes narrowed as within seconds a huge mound of neatly chopped cordwood appeared, stacked only yards away from the newly made shelter.

The display of precision reminded the prince of how often his rival outperformed him. He turned and stomped away toward the stream below. “Must you always out-do me, Kakarrot?”

Goku felt his heart fall as Vegeta’s words sank in. He’d only been trying to impress the prince with how good a job he could do. He’d never really looked at it the way Vegeta saw it, always doing him one better. That had never been his intent, but he could see now where his motives might have been misunderstood.

He made a silent vow that somehow he’d explain and make Vegeta proud of him on this little hunting trip. He would. Chastened, he followed the prince down to the water’s edge and waited nervously, hoping Vegeta wasn’t annoyed enough to call the whole thing off.

Vegeta stood on the bank of the wide stream, arms crossed, eyes distant. He was assessing the lay of the land and the turn of the wind and how that might affect their hunting tactics, and thinking about how stupid he was to have even suggested this. He knew Kakarrot had grown up in the wild; of course he could feed himself.

But he’d been so pissed off about the way the other saiya-jin hopped-to every time that weakling bitch of his uttered a command. He, himself, barely heard a word the blue-haired woman said, and mostly ignored her. In return, she gave him children and mostly ignored him. It was a good deal all around. There was a soft clearing of throat beside him and he blinked up from his musings.

“Hmm?”

“Uh...” Goku gave the prince a sheepish smile. “I’m sorry, Vegeta, I wasn’t...wasn’t trying to out-do you.” He fiddled with his fingers nervously. “I just wanted to show you what a good job I could do.”

Eyes narrowing, Vegeta looked the other warrior over. He realized Kakarrot was guileless, but the apology both still surprised and gratified him. No one had ever apologized to him before for a mistake or misunderstanding he had made. He dismissed it with a shrug and flick of his fingers.

“It’s alright, Kakarrot, I...ahm...” Vegeta wasn’t sure how to respond really, not given to thanking others. “I didn’t mean to snap at you.”

“Heh.” Goku’s hand went to the back of his head again, a sigh of relief leaving him. “That’s okay, Vegeta, you can snap at me any time!” He grinned. Vegeta sent him an inscrutable look.

“Take off your clothes.”

Goku blinked, his cheeks flushing. “Wh-what?”

“Take off your clothes, fool.” The prince himself was already half-stripped. “We need to wash off our scent then dig the roasting pit and get the fire started.”

With that, Vegeta kicked away his training suit and splashed out into the stream, shivering at the chill it brought with it from the snowcaps above.

Goku stood on the bank and gaped momentarily. “But...but we’ll probably get dirty from digging and have to take a bath anyway.”

“Don’t be obtuse, Kakarrot.” Vegeta submerged himself then broke back to the surface, slinging wet hair from his face. “We dig the pit and get dirty on purpose to help cover our scent and conceal our skin.” He scrubbed his hands through his hair then dunked himself again.

“We’re going to hunt naked???” Goku felt his blush deepening. Sure he was used to being naked at home, at least when Chi-chi let him. Though, now that he thought of it, that was only as long as it took him to bathe.

But this was Vegeta, ‘prince of all saiya-jins!’ Surely he wouldn’t go running around naked in the wilderness? He had to admit, though, the idea of this being ‘saiya-jin style’ was pretty appealing.

Resurfacing, Vegeta smirked at him. “Of course we are. Why ruin perfectly serviceable clothing by getting it torn and bloody?” He felt a surge of excitement at the prospect of hunting his own fresh meat again. It wasn’t something he’d had much opportunity to do since he’d gotten out of the planet-brokering business.

Goku blinked a few times, digesting the strange logic of all this, and began dragging his clothing off over his head. It did make sense in a kind of weird way, though he knew the ningens would never see it like that. But he wasn’t a ningen was he? And Vegeta had said that he didn’t have to listen to Chi-chi if he didn’t want to. With a shout of enthusiasm he leapt into the middle of the stream.

Vegeta laughed outright at the yelp the other saiya-jin gave as the chill of the water made itself known. Slogging back to the bank and gathering his clothing, he just shook his head and grinned to himself. What a baka.

By the time Goku had washed himself and returned up the hill, he found the prince had dug a small fire pit near the shelter and used a stick to outline the boundaries of a much larger area further away. At first he felt uncomfortable; not at being naked, but at seeing Vegeta naked.

It just wasn’t something he had ever expected. Nor was the flush of his skin when he found himself evaluating the prince’s form. He turned nervously to the other saiya-jin’s expression, hoping Vegeta hadn’t caught him looking.

Apparently unconcerned with his state of undress, Vegeta frowned at the ground where he’d decided to dig. It was almost too soft; once they had the pit dug it might collapse. They needed stones to line it, but it would take time to ferry a pile of rocks back and forth, something he definitely didn’t want to do.

“What’s the matter, Vegeta?”

The prince grumbled and kicked a bare toe at the grass. “It might fall in, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to haul rocks from who knows where.”

It took a few minutes for Goku to grasp the situation but when he did, he brightened instantly. “I’ve got an idea! But let’s go ahead and dig it out first.” He extended a hand and formed his ki, only to have the hand slapped down.

“No. There will be as little ki as possible, Kakarrot. Either in preparing or executing the hunt.” Serious black eyes met his. “There are traditions, and we will observe them.”

With that, Vegeta tossed him a branch that had been stripped of its smaller branches and leaves and torn from the tree in such a way that there was a flat edge at the end of it. Taking up his own, the prince of all saiya-jins began to dig.

They first stripped the sod away, exposing rich, dark soil in which worms and grubs wriggled away from the light and air. Once the earth was exposed, things moved faster, despite the lack of proper digging tools. They were saiya-jin after all, and their bodies enjoyed physical activity.

Another hour of digging and they stood together at the bottom of a rough rectangle that was about four feet deep, twice that wide, and three times as long. Grinning at each other from dirt-smeared faces they both took a deep breath and surveyed their handiwork.

“Not bad, Kakarrot.” Vegeta doled out spare praise, but knew it was taken to heart at the grin on the other’s face. He picked up a clod of dirt and chucked it at Goku’s head, laughing at the rain of dirt over the younger saiya-jin’s shoulders.

Goku grinned mischievously, and began digging his fingers through the dirt. “I think we did a pretty good job, Vegeta.”

Anticipating more throwing of dirt, the prince smirked and started to climb out of the pit. Goku, however, had other ideas. Coming up with a thick, wriggling, worm, he waved it in Vegeta’s face.

“AUGH! Get that thing away from me!” Eyes wide, Vegeta scrabbled out of the ragged-edged hole followed hotly by the younger saiya-jin.

After a few dodging and stumbling rounds of their campsite, with Vegeta growing more and more annoyed and pale, Goku had to stop. He was laughing too hard to run anymore, and the worm had been lost by this time anyway.

Dropping to the ground and laughing breathlessly, Goku held his sides and tried to apologize. “It’s just a little one, Vegeta!”

A small bare foot connected with his head, followed by a grumble from the prince. “I don’t care how small it is! Keep that slimy shit away from me!”

“Ow!” Goku giggled, still struggling for breath. “Okay, okay!”

He was a little surprised at how well Vegeta had taken the teasing, and more surprised when the prince flopped to the grass next to him. Glancing over, he noted the fine profile, usually held in harsh, tense lines, had relaxed. There was even the hint of a smile at the corners of the royal’s mouth.

The thought that he might have brought that expression to Vegeta’s face made his heart do a little flip in his chest. Blinking to himself, Goku felt an unnerving pang of longing, and immediately tried to distract himself.

“So, what next, Vegeta?”

“You get to fill that hole with firewood, I’m going to set up the spit.” Vegeta stood and stretched, the streaks of mud and sweat covering him detracting not one bit from the fine display of muscle. Goku felt his cheeks tint again at the thought.

“Okay!” Goku eyed the sun, noting it was at least noon if not a little past. The day had raced by with their travel and preparations, but soon they would be hunting, and that thought had him hopping to his feet. His stomach rumbled in anticipation of the meal that was to come. The look it earned him only widened the grin on his face as he went about his task.

During the stripping of branches for the shelter, Vegeta had kept his eyes open for appropriate saplings he would need later, and now he went back to collect them. The dimensions of the fire pit and the weight of the prey he planned on taking presented certain logistical challenges. He’d found two young trees, both with double branching at the first split. He cracked them off at the base and stripped away the extra branches and bark, leaving two Vs at the top of each. Two more straight saplings were stripped, and he hauled them all back to the campsite.

By the time he returned, Goku had filled the fire pit with a dozen large cones of firewood, and was putting the last touches on it. Vegeta cursed as he remembered they hadn’t lined the pit with stones, but it was too late to worry about it now.

Looking up at the distinctive sound of saiya-jin cursing, Goku gave the prince a questioning glance, wondering if he’d done something wrong.

“What is it, Vegeta?”

”Don’t worry about it, Kakarrot.” Vegeta shook his head. “Too late to line it now.”

Goku grinned and pointed to the bottom of the pit. “Taken care of.”

“What?” The prince blinked and looked to where the younger warrior pointed.

The fire pit was lined neatly with freshly broken rock that had been pounded into the soil. Goku nearly danced on his naked toes as he waited for Vegeta’s reaction.

“How did you...?”

Pointing to another hillock nearby and a scar left on the grassy surface, Goku grinned at him. “I figured bringing one big rock was better than a lot of small ones.”

Vegeta stared between the hillside and the fire pit, then broke into a grin. “Kakarrot, you are an idiot’s genius!”

Folding his arms in an obvious copy of the prince’s own stature, Goku thrust his nose into the air. “I’m not an idiot, Vegeta. I might not know as many things as you do, but at least I figured this one out.”

“Tch...”

”Don’t make me get another worm.”

That earned him a punch to the shoulder before Vegeta turned back toward the lengths of wood he’d brought with him. “Let’s get these into place, then I’m getting a long drink and rest a bit.”

”Rest? But I thought we were going to hunt!” The pout on Goku’s face could be heard in his voice.

“We are, baka, but the animals are resting now, too.” Vegeta continued on to the stream, crouching down and drinking directly from the flow of the water.

Goku watched, fascinated by the feral image Vegeta presented. The prince’s spiked hair was in disarray, dirt and scratches covered his naked skin, and the way he bent over the water displayed the hard planes and curves of his body. Goku felt the sudden need to guard the prince, to stay close to him.

He went down to the stream for his own drink, following silently behind Vegeta when he returned to the shelter to curl up in the piles of soft grasses there. Curling up himself, he drifted off to sleep gazing at the older saiya-jin, a mix of feelings, some of them he wasn’t sure he knew, tumbling through his head.


****



Goku woke at the rough shake of one shoulder, his eyes opening instantly as he startled. “Hnwha-?”

“Wake up, baka, it’s time.”

The younger saiya-jin looked up to see the still-naked and -muddied prince stretching and raking hands through his mussed hair. Perfect. He blinked and determinedly looked away, pushing to his feet and stepping outside the small shelter to take a gulp of air.

His mind’s eye again showed him the way Vegeta had displayed himself and he felt a slow shiver. Shaking his head Goku began doing some stretches of his own, loosening muscles and joints and clearing the sleep from his head.

“Hey! I thought you said no ki, Vegeta?” He blinked at where the prince stood, shooting tiny bursts of ki into the stacked wood within the fire pit.

“If you brought matches, Kakarrot, feel free to use them.” Vegeta smirked as he turned back. “I, for one, am not going to wait any longer.”

Goku scratched his skull, seeing something wholly different about the prince but unable to put his mental finger on it. He looked more searchingly as Vegeta began to stalk down the hillside, his bare hips disappearing into the tall grasses.

“Uh!” Drawn from his momentary distraction, Goku hopped and skidded down the hill in his rush to catch up. “Wait! Vegeta!”

The next half hour was spent spotting which animals were where and Vegeta explaining how the grazing herds were starting to move toward their bedding grounds for the night. They crouched downwind after circling up behind the herds.

The prince spoke in a low voice. “I think we should hunt one of the predators, Kakarrot.” White, fangy teeth flashed in a feral grin. “I haven’t hunted in so long, I’d almost forgotten how exciting it is.”

Goku’s nose twitched; he could actually smell the anticipation rolling off the smaller saiya-jin in waves. The burly warrior had fought all manner of villains and had, in his youth, mostly caught his own food. And he remembered a sense of victory in each catch he’d made, large or small. But Vegeta planned something a little deeper, he realized; Vegeta was pitting himself against something with as much raw, muscular strength as himself. Vegeta was challenging the laws of nature itself; it was survival of the fittest. And Vegeta planned to win.

He felt his own excitement level rise simply from the scent coming off the prince. He thought if he still had his tail it would be bristled out and snapping. But now that he grasped the undercurrent beneath simply needing to feed oneself, he felt his adrenaline surge.

Acknowledging the prince’s rank and experience unconsciously, Goku nodded as Vegeta gave him a few more pointers and explained his plans briefly. Crouching deeper into the grasses at the edge of the plain, they silently waited for the perfect target.

Watching as the smaller predators took on the smaller prey, as often only heard as seen, the two bided their time with the host of other hunters. Just as the edge of darkness began to creep over the treetops, Vegeta tilted his chin to indicate their mark.

Just into the early years of his prime, the toothy killer was full of his own kind of pride as he stalked brazenly alongside a herd of rotund grazers. There was no rush, he was invincible; a perfect work of tooth and claw, tough hide and strong bone, the pebbled surface of his skin stretched precisely over thick muscle.

With a roar, the saurian prowler began his rush, sending the grazers scattering away to trip and fall over one another. But just as he was about to sink his dripping canines into the nape of one particularly savory grazer, there was a jerk on his tail hard enough to make his teeth ache as they snapped on empty air.

“Nyah, Nyah! Why don’t you pick on someone smaller than you!” Goku laughed as the big head swung around and regarded him with a red-rimmed eye.

The herd of grazers was now nothing more than a dust cloud. Vegeta regarded his hunting companion with a smirk. Not exactly saiya-jin, but the tone of Goku’s voice, if not the words, was enough to provoke the still-hungry monster that swung around to snap at the annoyance that had spoiled his dinner.

The attack came faster than Goku had expected, and close enough to send a little thrill of fear up his spine. He swore he could see his reflection in the slime coating the long fangs, but before he could be sure, the massive head jerked back from a sharp kick to the nose.

He grinned at the afterimage of Vegeta’s bare toes that was left on his retina and nearly giggled at the giddy rush he got from it. Goku watched a few moments as the prince took his turn taunting the brute to greater anger and frustration, then leapt forward to tag-team the infuriated beast.

Both of them took chances, turning it into a game of tag-and-see-if-it-can-bite-me, grinning at one another as they crossed paths or line of sight. But as much fun as they were having in wearing him down, the predator had become more crazed and less predictable, swinging its huge jaws and snapping at anything that moved. Roars and snarls echoed across the grassland, sending smaller creatures running and burrowing away from the scene.

Distracted as his foot sank suddenly into a hollow, Goku didn’t see the thick tail of the dinosaur until just before it smacked him hard between the eyes, slamming him into the packed earth and leaving him momentarily dazed. He watched bemusedly as long fangs parted over him and began to fill his field of vision.

Wow, his breath really stinks.

When, after a brief second, Goku realized those teeth weren’t ripping him in half, he blinked up into the still-gaping maw above him. A low groan sent another cloud of air rolling over him, putrid with the meat-eater’s breath. Scrambling away, he found himself staring at the image of the entirely naked Vegeta with his arm sunk to the elbow into the monster’s chest.

Blood splashed over the prince’s face and down his chest, dripping earthward to leave slick, random patterns over his skin. More of the dark red dripped from his elbow as he pulled his fist free, clutching the monster’s still-spasming heart. Dark eyes locked onto Goku’s as Vegeta brought the pulsing muscle up and sank his teeth into it, leaving fresh blood to drip from his chin.

Goku was there before he even thought to move, eyes wide with both astonishment and fascination. He knew Vegeta could be brutal, but brutal didn’t have to be evil, per se. This sort of brutality called to him, to some inner sense he only barely remembered.

The heart was offered up to him, still in that hard fist. Without hesitation he grasped the slender wrist and held it in place as he sank his teeth into the warm flesh.

The daze inside his head was suddenly broken, as if a bucket of liquid fire had been dumped over him. Vegeta’s bloody fist was now wrapped in his hair, hauling him close. He could feel their skin rub together as the prince nearly purred into his ear.

“Well done, Kakarrot...” The last of the sunlight glimmered redly from Vegeta’s smile, and Goku could only stare.

He slowly became aware of how they were both breathing, the tickle of a drop of sweat as it traced along the nape of his neck, the slippery feel of blood as it slicked their skin. He could almost see Vegeta’s nose twitch as it brushed his chest, making him aware of the enticing scent that danced in the back of his head.

Goku sniffed a little closer at the upswept spikes of hair to see if it really was Vegeta who smelled so good, but his attention was suddenly broken as a loud gurgle erupted between them. He broke into a laugh at the flush that colored Vegeta’s face as the prince realized it was his own appetite making itself known. A fist connected almost lightly with his shoulder and he was shaken out of his amusement.

“Come on, baka, let’s get our dinner...” Vegeta turned away to begin splitting the hide of the dinosaur. Grinning, Goku hurried to help.

Taking only one of the hind haunches of the huge saurian, they felt no shame at leaving the rest of the carcass. There would be no waste; lesser creatures had to eat, too, after all. The plains’ scavengers and many of the smaller predators would eat well tonight.

After returning to camp, they spitted the meat and laid it out over the now-glowing coals of the fire pit to cook. Without discussion, they both turned to the bottom of the hill and splashed into the stream to soak off the mud, blood, and sweat that had built up over the course of the day.

Letting himself float lazily, Goku grinned up at the stars as they flickered into sight overhead. The brisk water felt good to his overheated and pleasantly tired body as he scrubbed his fingers over his sticky scalp.

Vegeta seemed to be enjoying it as much; relaxing against a large rock and letting a stream of water sluice over his hair, his eyes closed with an expression of tired satisfaction. Until his stomach complained again, this time loud enough to impress Goku.

Smothering a laugh, the younger saiya-jin turned away as a venomous look was shot his direction, but he couldn’t stop picturing the indignant look and was soon reduced to splutters and giggles. But instead of the snort of derision or clout to the back of the head that he expected, he was delighted by a throaty laugh and shove from the equally amused prince.

‘Baka, you’re still drunk on the kill.” Vegeta sent a ki-backed wave of water to drown him.

Goku laughed and returned one of his own. “Yeah, like you’re not, Vegeta.”

They taunted and splashed one another, the wet conflict slowly escalating into real ki blasts only shielded by water, though not very well and all in good fun. Soon they had powered up, gold just beginning to glimmer around them as they burst into the air and an impromptu match.

When it was time, they took a momentary break to turn the spitted meat over the fire then were back in the air, punches and kicks exchanged until they both drooped with exhaustion. The coals in the fire pit were glimmering beneath a coating of ash as they stumbled up the hillside after another quick rinse in the stream.

After drying off and pulling on comfortable gi pants, they stripped the skin from atop the steaming meat and began slicing into it. Vegeta showed the younger saiya-jin how to strip off big chunks, spear them on smaller, forked, branches and stick them into the ground around the smaller fire. Leaving the rest of the haunch to finish cooking for breakfast, they made their way back to the scant shelter to sit in the light of the campfire and enjoy their meal.

Just as Vegeta was about to take his first bite, Goku’s voice stopped him. “Oh wait!” The prince blinked at him as the younger saiya-jin began digging through his pack, coming up a moment later with a bottle clenched victoriously in one hand.

“Barbecue sauce?” Vegeta smirked. “Only you would find that necessary equipment, Kakarrot.” With an enigmatic look, the prince produced a pair of bottles from his gear, but rather than sauce, this was a murky looking liqueur.

Goku grinned and slathered sauce onto the sizzling chunks of meat before they toasted one another with a bottle each, and took a long drink. Goku dug in with his usual enthusiasm. Vegeta laughed and sank his teeth into his own meal, shaking his head in amusement.

A few sticks with meat still forked on them stood around the fire like sentries as they lounged back some time later, sucking their teeth and yawning with satiation. Vegeta had produced more bottles of the strangely dark and fruity brandy, and both were feeling the effects, despite the efficiency of their metabolisms.

Goku licked and sucked his fingers to get the last traces of barbecue sauce from them as he stared into the fire, his thoughts tracing back to the hunt, the kill. He could still see the image of Vegeta -- his fist dripping gore, the flash of something feral in his eyes, something that made Goku crave...something.

Even the prince’s scent seemed to linger in his nose, once again sending a prickle of heat up his spine. His eyes traveled to Vegeta, his hands still streaked with sauce. In the flicker of firelight Goku could easily imagine it was streaks of blood. Impulsively, he grabbed Vegeta’s wrist and began licking his fingers clean.

Head buzzing with liqueur and sated appetite, he only realized what he’d done when he heard the sharp intake of breath and felt the prince stiffen. Gaze traveling up slowly, Goku peered warily at the older saiya-jin.

Instead of an embarrassed and consequently furious prince, Goku found himself trapped by the other warrior’s hot, dark gaze. Vegeta’s eyes narrowed and he began stroking the tip of his finger over Goku’s tongue. “There’s much more to learn about being a saiya-jin, Kakarrot.” He hooked his finger into the younger saiya-jin’s lower jaw and drew him closer.

A hot wave of arousal broke over Goku as the prince’s voice buzzed distantly in his head, and he could only stare into the dark saiya-jin’s eyes as he still sucked on the digit between his lips. He found himself crawling forward until their noses nearly touched, his mouth still clamped firmly around Vegeta’s finger.

Fisting one hand into the younger fighter’s hair, Vegeta reclaimed his finger, the soft slurping sound seemed unnaturally loud to him. Without another word he simply covered the other saiya-jin’s mouth with his own, his tongue licking between soft, surprised, lips to delve inside.

A groan was shared between bare chests as Vegeta tumbled the other warrior back into the soft grasses. He found he couldn’t bring himself to release the warm mouth and intoxicating taste. He could taste everything that had passed between them that day -- the hot glances Goku thought he hadn’t seen, the anticipation of the hunt, of mortality only a breath away, the taste of blood and victory. Drinking deeper, he could taste traces of brandy and barbecue, and even deeper, a sweet tang mixed with something wild that could only be the younger saiya-jin’s own flavor.

Once past the shock of having his mouth filled with Vegeta’s tongue, Goku responded with his own hunger for more than food. He clutched the lean form close and quested for a deep taste of the prince, sharing another moan as he felt the heated response.

Tearing his mouth away, Vegeta began his exploration of the muscled neck and shoulder of his subject, sending his tongue to flick and lick over satiny skin. The cries wrought from the throat beneath his lips only urged him on, and his hands slid down to cup and knead the roundness of Goku’s ass through the thin cotton.

“Veh-geta!” Goku gasped and shivered at the onslaught, the hot feel of Vegeta’s mouth, the sharpness of his teeth contrasted with the cool flow of air and softness of the grass beneath him. His head swam as flames of desire flared up his spine, and he slid his hands down the scarred landscape of the prince’s back, arching up as sharp bites and sensual licks flowed over his collarbone and down his chest.

The fine texture of the younger saiya-jin’s skin was provocative on Vegeta’s tongue, luring him to explore further. Finding a tight, flat nub, he nipped and was rewarded with a gasp and buck of the other’s hips. He chuckled at the helpless sounds his movements brought from his lover, but gasped himself as fingers delved across his tailspot and sent his hips grinding.

Suddenly infuriated by the thin layers between them, he twisted to one side and tore the cotton fabric from Goku’s hips. Huge black eyes gazed at him as he looked over his prize, and with a growl he again attacked the younger saiya-jin’s mouth while he filled his hand with the hard length of Goku’s cock.

The cool feel of the prince’s fingers shocked the heat at his groin and only served to arouse him more as Vegeta stroked firmly. Mewling as a dozen sensations fought for his attention, Goku fought to overcome his amazement and surprise, and respond with his own assault.

The prince’s spicy taste danced across Goku’s tongue, inspiring his hands to quest beneath Vegeta’s gi pants, pushing them down to bare and cup the curve of his ass, leaving his thumbs to rub over the furry patch at the base of Vegeta’s spine. He could feel his own scar tingle as if in response.

Shuddering, Vegeta bit into the plump lower lip and drew back to look the younger saiya-jin over. His glittering gaze traveled slowly over the carved planes and curves of honed muscle and taut skin. The prince’s tongue licked over his own lip as his appreciation for the other grew, and lust licked along his senses as he finally took in what he’d been stroking to steely hardness.

“Let’s see if you taste as saiya-jin as you look, Kakarrot.” Vegeta’s voice purred darkly. Before Goku’s head began to clear enough to realize words had been spoken, he was overwhelmed with another wave of heat and sensation as the prince’s wet mouth engulfed him.

His head fell back and a strangled cry tore itself from his throat. His body trembled but the fingers of one hand locked securely into velvety hair. The purr from Vegeta’s chest now welled up to surround his aching cock as he was slurped hungrily and drawn deeper. Goku couldn’t tear his gaze from the sight of Vegeta’s nose nuzzling into the spiky fur at his groin.

Kicking away the fabric tangling his legs, Vegeta crouched over his trophy and lost himself in the taste of pure saiya-jin. The younger warrior had been an obstacle, an inspiration, and an annoyance for so long, but now, now his only goal was to drown his thirst for the other.

The feel of strong fingers in his hair only served to incite his lust, and Vegeta spread muscled thighs wider, his hands stroking and teasing over every inch of sensitive skin, cupping and rolling the heavy sac while teasing a fingertip lower. He suckled and licked down to the thick base of Goku’s cock and back again, his tongue swirling as he sucked and nibbled at the throbbing tip. He looked into the younger saiya-jin’s face, and rumbled in approval at the sight of Goku’s tousled appearance, the flushed cheeks and hooded eyes. His purr deepened and he was rewarded with his first real taste of cream.

“Vegeta!” It seemed to be the only coherent thing Goku’s throat could produce. Anything else was rendered into whimpers and panting breaths as a sheen of sweat spread over his skin. His head tossed as the tortuous tongue stroked across the sensitive underside of his cock, and an aching need blazed through him. He gasped and arched as Vegeta’s fingertip swirled and pressed intimately into him.

The musky taste of the other saiya-jin’s essence swirled into Vegeta’s senses; his head spun, his skin felt too hot and too tight, his cock throbbed, demanding attention, and he groaned as he felt the eager response beneath his touch. He savored the satiny steel with his tongue and shuddered with lust.

A dull pain throbbed up Goku’s spine, itself strangely pleasurable, and the burly warrior squirmed and growled. The whirl in his head increased tenfold as the furry coil of his tail regenerated without warning. He keened and clutched at the one who so inflamed his lust; he needed more. Now.


Vegeta felt the impatient sound in the other’s chest as he withdrew his mouth and slid up to bite at the strong jaw. Arching eagerly, he positioned himself against the sweaty, muscular body. He couldn’t wait any longer.

Neither could Goku.

Vegeta heard a snarl in his ear, but before he could make sense of it, he found himself splayed out, cool grass cushioning his back. The feral gaze from above made him shiver with increasing need.

Goku crouched over the lithe form, growling softly and rubbing against him. His tail curled and twitched over his back as he nuzzled the curve of Vegeta’s neck. Ki flickered between them as each fought the blur of lust and sensation, each seeking, as always, to best the other.

Realization washed over Vegeta like a bucket of ice as his knees were caught and spread wide. Heart pounding, he twisted and made to crawl away, not having planned it this way and not at all sure he could ‘accommodate’ Kakarrot like that. Ankle caught, he was dragged back, grass slithering coolly against his hot skin.

Growling in frustration as the prince drew away, Goku watched with a sort of primal satisfaction as his fingers wrapped securely around Vegeta’s ankle, feeling as if he were moving in slow motion even as he realized he was not. He pulled effortlessly and began to draw the darker saiya-jin beneath him.

Vegeta twisted to confront him and blinked in surprise as Goku’s lush tail seemed to wave hello to him over one broad shoulder. As the prince tried to think through the haze of desire to make sense of it, he found his hip gripped firmly while a thick arm wrapped around his chest and drew his back against the feverish body.

“Vegetahhh...” The rumble of the voice in his ear also vibrated along his spine and the prince couldn’t help but shiver with dreadful anticipation. He managed a choked sound as he felt the slippery tip of Goku’s cock delve against him as he was raised to his knees. His back arched as he tried to shy away.

Goku purred roughly, nuzzling along the arch of the prince’s neck, his tongue flattening against silky skin as he licked over the fluttering pulse. He tightened his arm around the slender body and growled, seating the tip of his cock against Vegeta’s opening.

Moaning, he gave in to the sudden need to sink his teeth into royal flesh and crunched through skin and into muscle. As Vegeta’s gasp of surprise sounded in his ear, Goku drank deeply of the crimson rush and thrust deep into the struggling form, rending a howl of agonized delight from the smaller saiya-jin.

He couldn’t hear his own cry of pleasure over the rushing in his head as saiya-jin blood trickled down his throat. His hips thrust forcibly again, burying himself in the tight inferno that writhed in his embrace. Shuddering, Goku drew back, sending his tail to slither between their thighs and wrap tightly around Vegeta’s cock before driving deep again. His entire body ached at the slippery sensation around him, stroking like fire up his spine.

Vegeta choked and shook as he was impaled, the deep pain inside him fighting with the mind-blowing sensation of being filled and stretched from the inside. He fought to control himself, but then Kakarrot moved. Out, then even deeper within him and he howled as pleasure won out. Any resistance he may have offered melted away when the furry, muscular length of Kakarrot’s tail tightened around his throbbing cock and teased pearly drops from the tip.

Dropping down onto his palms, Vegeta’s head tipped back and he called out his need, his own hips rocking back to meet the pounding thrusts. Goku’s tail twitched and bristled, rippling around the prince’s erection, stroking in time as his hips began to drive faster. A haze of heat and the scent of sex and saiya-jin clouded any thought. Goku set his teeth more securely and drove them both harder toward climax.

A brief, bright pain caught Vegeta just as he began to lose himself. The intense feel of his tail being restored melded with the blissful, hot, tightening coil within him, and burned along his spine to detonate against the base of his skull. His howl of completion echoed across the dark waves of grass, followed by a second triumphant cry as Goku followed, the sensations from the prince’s orgasm proving too much to resist.

“Mmmm, Vegeta...” Goku nuzzled sweaty spikes of hair and purred, “I like saiya-jin style everything.” He was rewarded with a sleepy chuckle and sharp nip, but found it pleased him more than kisses.

Still wrapped in the glow of satisfaction, the two curled around one another and fell into a sated sleep, thick sable tails twined together as the last embers of the fire winked out.


*****

The morning light was tinted golden-pink, bringing out the deep red highlights in the saiya-jin prince’s hair and outlining features that were curiously serene as he slept. But rather than being allowed to continue, his sleep was interrupted as something furry and dark teased his face.

Nose crinkling, Vegeta scowled and burrowed his head into something warm and solid. Still clinging to sleep, he batted at the annoyance as it tickled his ear, but it did no good as the silky sensation then traveled down over his neck and collarbone.

Cracking one eye open, the prince eyed the tail tip that was currently circling one flat nipple, then closed his eyes resolutely. “Baka,” He grumbled, “I’m sleeping...” He didn’t need to see the glowing smile on the younger saiya-jin’s face; he could hear it in the insufferably chipper tone of the warrior’s voice.

“But Vegeeeeeetaaaahh...” Goku had trouble suppressing a smirk, “it’s time for breakfast...”

The prince grumbled and draped an arm over his face to block the light. “You’re a big boy, Kakarrot,” No kidding! He shifted to get more comfortable and allowed himself a small purr. “You can get your own breakfast.”

“Okay, Vegeta!”

Vegeta didn’t expect the bright agreement, but he didn’t expect to be splayed out onto the cool grass and molested, either. He was outraged for just as long as it took Goku to pin his knees wide and grin up at him, nuzzling Vegeta’s hardening flesh and breathing in their combined scents.

“Mmmm, breakfast...saiya-jin style!”

Dipping his head, Goku helped himself.