The Bonded
Part Eleven



A lazy ringing interrupted Goku's slumber and he slowly opened his eyes. Apparently, he had fallen asleep in the warm embrace of Vegeta's arms. He sat up with reluctance, rubbing his eyes in preparation for answering to the steadily repetitive noise. The shorter saiya-jin jolted awake as Goku moved and growled when he heard the phone. Vegeta stood angrily and stalked into the den - they had been interrupted too many times already. The second man watched him enter the small room and then stood to follow, wary of Vegeta's quick temper.

And rightly so.

When Goku entered the room, Vegeta was leaning over, chair forgotten, and irritably pressing the button that answered the call. It was Bulma's face that appeared on the screen. /Ah, no. No, no, please no…/ Goku was reluctant to talk to the woman that had nearly convinced him not to seek out Vegeta, but could not bring himself to leave her to face the wrathful saiya-jin alone. He walked closer to his mate, standing just behind and to the side of Vegeta and making himself visible to the female on the other end of the line in the process. One arm moved low around Vegeta's body where the electronic eye could not see, loosely holding his waist. It was meant to be a soothing gesture but the proud and annoyed Prince only glared and stepped forward, leaving Goku's hand to drop ineffectively. "What?" he spat, his face just inches away from the monitor.

Bulma swallowed nervously. "Ok…" she began, and then cleared her throat before resuming with forced self-confidence. "I don't want to talk over the phone, so I'll make this as short as I can. Would you both please come to my house tomorrow?" With hope, her eyes glanced towards Goku, but there was no reassurance on his face. "Tomorrow, just after one. I'd appreciate it, I really would." She looked at them each in turn, expectant, but the reply was slow to come. Finally, Goku spoke in a falsely cheerful voice.

"We'll see if we can make it. It is short notice, you know." He paused briefly. "I hate to cut you off Bulma, but this isn't the best time for either of us to talk."

Nodding fervently, Bulma let out a sigh. "Hey, no problem. I just hope to see you both after lun-"

Her word was cut off by Vegeta's angry hand and he spun to face Goku. "There is no way," he said coldly, "no way in hell that I am going over to that woman's house." His tail would around his waist securely and resolutely he crossed his arms, daring Goku to respond.

"Look, I don't want to either. But we can't just eliminate her from our lives because she did a few stupid things."

"A few stupid things?" Vegeta scoffed and tossed his head. "She tried to break up our sons on multiple occasions, she continues to refuse /any/ homosexual relationship - k'so, the woman nearly convinced you to abandon your feelings for me! Why support her now? Are you just as stupid as she is?"

The assaulted man sighed, looking upwards, but divine assistance did not come. "Vegeta… Ok, so she's an idiot. I get your point." He smiled as if begging Vegeta to forgive, or at least forget. "But something's up, I can tell, and we ought to go. Just for an hour or two and then we're out. Promise." He looked at his stubborn mate, eyes pleading.

Finally, Vegeta relented but continued to hold some reservations. "One hour. /One/. If it runs any longer than that I'm leaving with or without you, Kakarotto. And if she says anything about homosexuality…" He left the details of the threat to Goku's imagination.

With a nod the second male accepted the terms. His head tilted to the side slightly and his brow furrowed. "If you hate her so much, why did you ever sleep with her?" He asked.

Vegeta shrugged. "I needed children. She was there and she was willing. I developed enough affection to stand her until Bra was born - there was no need for it after that."

"Affection? You guarded her like a beast."

"It did me good. She provided for me, was loyal, and raised my children. I only did it as long as I needed to."

"Then how long have you -"

"Almost thirty years." Vegeta met his mate's gaze and Goku raised his eyebrows.

"Wow." There was nothing more he could say on that subject. However, Goku could still feel pent-up aggression radiating from Vegeta in waves. Changing the subject he asked, "Hey, 'Geta. Want to train some?"

The saiya-no-ouji shook his head. "No," a thoughtful pause, "I think I'll show you exactly why I've lusted after you for thirty years, Kakarotto."

"Just lust?" questioned the taller male as he backed out the door, planning to move the activity to the bedroom.

Grabbing his tail Vegeta forced Goku to come closer. "/Here/," he commanded, and then claimed the offered mouth. Goku's hands were immediately all over his mate, but Vegeta tightly pinned his arms to his sides and wordlessly indicated after pulling away that the arms were to stay put. His head moved to Goku's ear, nibbling on the lobe before whispering roughly, "You know it's more than lust." He then pushed Goku's shirt up and moved down to the chest. His touch was hard, possessive, and almost reverently worshipful as he tasted the skin, moving constantly lower and burning a line of fire across Goku's body.



The wall clock ticked slowly past one-thirteen and Bulma sighed, pausing in her pacing. Again, she fingered the small plastic bag tucked away in her jean jacket pocket. Withdrawing her hand she resumed the monotonous walk up and down the room. Each and every invited guest was late, and with every passing second she was loosing more of her nerve.

Finally, the doorbell rang, the harsh sound interrupting the still and making Bulma jump. She hurried to the entranceway and yanked the door open, hair flying wildly. Everyone was there: Trunks, Vegeta, Goku, and Goten. Apparently they had met up on the way. Attempting and failing to calm herself she moved aside to let them pass and then led the group of warriors into the living room.

She had a plan - one that she had been preparing and analyzing for weeks. Every since she had heard … had heard the noises from Trunks' office. The small bag in her pocket and the hot water and tea bags in the kitchen were only a last resort, but as Goten and Trunks sat down together, guardedly close, she feared that she would be forced to use it.

If all went as planned, it would be simple. Get everyone in the same room, as she had just succeeded in doing, and then get them to talk. Once the topic of homosexuality was broached, Bulma was sure, the boys' fathers would have plenty to say. Hopefully the parental coercion would be enough. If not… Again, her hand dipped into her pocket nervously. If it was not enough, she could bring the little bag of white drugs into play. It had taken almost a month for her to get her hands on and it was probably illegal for her to have. She had no idea what was in it, but as long as it worked she did not care. The physiatrist she had received it from had called it the "anti-emotion drug". The instructions were simple: one gram dissolved in a liquid. It was completely undetectable, both odorless and tasteless. The effect was gradual and semi-permanent, beginning over a period of 48 hours and remaining for up to two weeks. It killed emotion - "affection, love, or lust," the doctor had told her. It would wear off eventually but by then, Trunks and Goten would have separated and it would be too late.

If her son did not leave Goten by choice, then it would happen by force.

Somewhat calmed by the mental rundown of her plan of action, Bulma took a seat in a chair across from the two couches against the north and west walls. She was about to begin a conversation that would eventually lead to the one planned out in her mind when something she saw shocked her into silence. Vegeta sat on one of the twin couches, crossing his arms as usual. But what was unusual was Goku's behavior. He glanced at Vegeta, silently asking permission for something. The second man looked at him briefly and then turned back to Bulma. Goku sank to the floor at Vegeta's feet and rested his head against Vegeta's knee in a very clear gesture of … affection. Slowly, a tail unwound from Goku's waist to wrap around the other male's leg, and Bulma wondered faintly how and when it had grown back. Mouth agape and hands clenched in fists, Bulma watched Vegeta's hand move to rest on the back of the other male's neck. The signs were impossible to miss - Goku and Vegeta were a couple as well.

"What…" her single word trailed off into stunned silence and Goku looked up from the floor, wary and curious. She jumped to her feet and chanced a hopeful look at her son, who tried to smile reassuringly. "What the hell is going on?" A long hush was the only reply and her mouth gaped wildly, reminiscent of a fish out of water. "Are you two … are you two together?" She looked quickly between the two men.

In time, Goku replied. "Yes."

Bulma sat back down with a thump. /Of course…/ her mind whispered into the stuffy still of the room, /how could I have been so stupid? Now it all makes perfect sense…/ She was silent for a few moments and then spoke very, very softly and as if the demi-saiya-jin were not in the room, her eyes fixed to the ground. "Throughout this entire ordeal … ever since I found out, when I called you, Vegeta, even when I called Goku," she intoned emotionlessly with a hard look at the man on the floor, "all the while I thought you two were behind me. That you would stop being blind and act like good, responsible parents. Every time one of you told me to leave my son alone, I believed you would eventually come to your senses and help me out." Her eyes burned darkly and her tone became louder and harsher. Eyes widening, Goku drew back. Vegeta's arm moved down his mate's chest, pulling the tense body tighter against him. "But I was wrong, wasn't I? Completely … completely, utterly wrong. You two are just as sick as they are." She gestured rudely with a hand to the other couple.

There was another uncomfortable pause and Trunks began to rise, reaching towards his mother. He was stopped halfway by Goten's cautionary hand. As the purple-haired male sat, Bulma began again, her words directed at no one. "I completely deluded myself, didn't I?" She continued without pause for a response. "I thought I could make a difference. And I worked so hard. I planned, I tried to get help for my son. But it's all pointless now." Reaching into her pocket she ripped out the plastic bag she had been worrying earlier and threw it to the ground. "All of my anxiety and work for nothing."

Trunks moved from the couch and bent over, picking up the bag on the floor and reading the handwritten label. "Hormone suppressant," he said softly and placed the powdered drugs on the low table between the couches that the saiya-jin and demi-saiya-jin sat on.

Bulma's eyes overflowed with tears and she opened her mouth again to speak, but only nonsensical and broken sounds came out. Her son moved to her side, placing one arm around her trembling shoulders but she stood, savagely pushing the comfort away. "How disgusting. My son…" she looked at Trunks with a removed, ice-cold gaze, "my son is a fag." She then glared at each male in turn. "The whole damn world is these days."

Without another word she turned and exited the room, leaving the men to stare at the empty space where she had just been. Trunks shook his head slowly and glanced at Goten, murmuring an apology before hurrying after his mother.

Eventually Goten turned to the remaining occupants of the room and spoke. "Well … that was awkward."

Goku let out a dry laugh and then said quietly, "I didn't know it was quite so bad."

The three martial-artists sat in silence while they waited for Trunks to return, Goku's hand absently toying with the material of Vegeta's saiya-jin style boots. Minutes passed and finally the forth male returned. Goten rose from his seat when his mate entered the room, moving to stand by him and placing an arm over Trunks' shoulders.

"She locked herself in her room - won't even answer me," Trunks informed them and then shrugged, eyes closed hopelessly. "I don't know what I should do."

"We can't just stand around. Move!" Vegeta removed his arm from Goku's upper body and stood, his mate following suit a few moment later. "Call someone who can console your mother, Trunks. A psychiatrist, if you need to."

"Are you sure we should involve someone else?" Goten asked.

"Yes." The Prince gestured abruptly to the room and then out of the doorway. "This is the calm before the storm. If you want to be of any use to Bulma, then get her some help now." He looked at Trunks pointedly and his son nodded and left without a word, presumably to use Bulma's phone. Vegeta turned to Goten. "I assume you plan to wait for him."

"Of course."

"Very well. Get rid of the suppressant," he nodded towards the drugs with his head, "although they would have no effect on Kakarotto or myself, they will affect the rest of you. It shouldn't be sitting around." With that he moved towards the door, but paused when Goku spoke.

"Hey, Goten? Would you let us know what happens? And if you ever need to, go ahead and call."

His son nodded. "No problem. See you later, Dad." Goten moved back to pick up the small plastic bag and then headed after his mate, leaving Vegeta and Goku to exit. When he reached front door, mutely following Vegeta, he looked back. He feared that his mate was right and that the still in the house really was the brief calm that chaos would soon follow.

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