The Bonded
Part Thirteen



Goten walked the last part of the journey to his father's house, knowing that if he flew he risked being sensed. When he eventually reached the door he paused, nervous. /Come on, Goten./ He stood up straight and tried to calm his racing heart. /I need to do this. For my sake, and for Trunks'./ His hand rose slowly and he rang the doorbell, then he stepped back to wait uneasily. When Vegeta answered, dressed as always in minimalistic black clothing, he breathed a sigh of relief; Goten did not know what he would have done if it had been his father. Vegeta immediately offered to lead him to Goku but Goten stopped him with a hand placed gingerly on one muscular arm. "Actually, Vegeta, I was hoping I could talk to you. Is there somewhere private?"

Vegeta laughed aloud at Goten's sheepishness. "Something you don't want your father to know about? Coward." He smirked as Goten stumbled over his words, attempting to recover some ground, and then turned. "Follow me. Kakarotto's in the gravity room."

They sat in the living room. Vegeta leaned back on the couch, arms crossed and legs propped up on the low coffee table. His posture much more tense, Goten sat forward with his hands gripping onto the edge of his seat. "Well?" asked Vegeta lazily, all pleasantries aside.

Goten knew better than to beat around the bush with Vegeta and went immediately but apprehensively to the point. "Trunks has been acting … strange. I don't know why, and I don't know what to do. You're his father, so I thought you might be able to help. Plus, you know more about the matings than anyone else."

"What do you mean by 'strange'?"

"We haven't talked for … one and a half weeks, I think. Since we came home from the hospital. And I mean we really don't talk. And he won't be in the same room as me for very long, or touch me either."

"Sex?" enquired Vegeta, and Goten blushed, fidgeting with the hem of his T-shirt.

"No. Not even once. And normally we…" he faded away, embarrassed, and Vegeta bluntly supplied the words.

"Fuck like rabbits." He grinned slyly but gave no help or advice.

"And then there are these headaches…" At this Vegeta's eyes narrowed, suspiciously surprised. "I've always been able to tell if he's in trouble and that sort of thing, but now I get that feeling from him all the time and have absolutely splitting migraines constantly." The older man let out a low "hn" and looked down in contemplation. Goten attempted to wait silently but that ended quickly as he blurted out, "So…?"

Vegeta looked up sharply at the interruption of his thought but replied with no more than his usual hostility. "Kakarotto and I have been on similar terms," he admitted. "Now that I know what has been happening between you and my son, I believe I understand the reason." He paused briefly and then nodded once to himself, meeting Goten's eyes unyieldingly. "His mind is resisting the bond."

/I'm not exactly sure what that is, but it can't be good./ Goten swallowed and then asked, "What do you mean?"

"He blames himself, and more specifically his relationship with you, for Bulma's attempt at suicide. His mind is trying to fight off the bond, which is why he refuses to interact with you. It is also causing damage to you both, which is the reason for the migraines. I suspect that he suffers from them as well."

/Not good, definitely not good./ "Well, what can I do?"

"Just know," said Vegeta coldly, "if it was anyone other than my own son I wouldn't bother." Goten nodded his acknowledgement and Vegeta continued. "I know more than anyone else about the mating, but I have never experienced it prior to Kakarotto. However, it's obvious what needs to be done now. Unless you plan to loose Trunks," Goten shook his head, wide eyed, "then the bond must be reinforced." He paused and then asked, "Trunks was seme, correct?"

"Yeah," Goten replied, and Vegeta smirked knowingly.

"He will initially resent it, but you must find a way to convince him to resume that position. How you do so is for you to worry about."

Goten knew that Vegeta would say no more and stood. "Thank you." He paused, wondering just how angry Vegeta would be if he said what was in his head. /Oh, hell. Why not?/ "Good luck with Dad. I'll show myself out."



/Good luck indeed./ After Goten's exit Vegeta was left in the living room, alone with his thoughts. He was confidant that his son would go back to his mate before long - Vegeta knew the quality of their relationship and trusted that Trunks would put an end to his self-incrimination soon. He had raised and taught his son well.

With that concern pacified Vegeta was free to think about his own predicament. Despite what he had told Goten, he was not certain that his assumptions had been correct. Although he doubted that Kakarotto would leave him, he wanted to be sure. It made sense to fortify the bond again, even although he had only completed doing so just over a week prior. /And,/ he thought as ideas began to take shape in his mind, /reinforcing the bond will be quite an enjoyable activity./ The second man's ki, heightened while he had been training, decreased suddenly and Vegeta's mouth bent into a smug smile. /I'll give it a day or two. Then, I take care of this little problem./ The tip of his tail curled and he stood, entering the den to log on to the Internet.



Trunks was out, again, but for once Goten was somewhat relieved. It gave him time to think and to plan.

"If he's resisting the bond, then yeah, it needs to be reinforced. The question is, how?" Goten wondered aloud and let himself into the house, shedding his jacket before making his way to the kitchen. He set about preparing dinner, the meal consisting as usual of a selection of frozen foods. Goten rarely bothered to actually put together and cook a meal, that was his mate's ground. Meanwhile, he quickly reviewed his relationship with Trunks, trying to do so objectively.

"Ok. Trunks and I were stuck together because of our fathers. We became really good friends … did everything that kids do, I guess." He chuckled quietly, "And then we got older, and did some things a lot of kids don't. If I think about it, we've been together as a couple for most of our lives, although we didn't always know it. And we used to compete against each other all of the time. Actually", he corrected, smiling to himself as he ripped open a cardboard container, "we still do. Real battles, but just for the thrill, we never disliked each other. Not to say that he didn't piss me off some times. Still does." He snorted. "Anyways. Trunks has always been the stronger one, and the mating was like that too. I put up a fight and everything - a damn good one, might I add - but I kind of knew from the beginning that he would win." The last dish in the oven and a small, scruffy salad thrown together Goten turned his back, resting against the counter with his arms from the elbow down on its polished white surface. "Well, that about sums up the start of our relationship. After the mating we were closer, emotionally. The bond did that. Everything we had from before got stronger, and better."

Vegeta had made it seem as if the fact that Trunks was seme was exceptionally important. "Probably because he was on top, too. Vegeta never misses an opportunity to brag," muttered Goten, peevish. But at the same time, Trunks' dominance was an important part of their relationship. If Vegeta was right… "What was it that he said? Oh yeah: 'you must find a way to convince him to resume that position'. I have to make Trunks be dominate again." Goten grinned at the memories and images the thought of his controlling mate brought to mind but entertained them only momentarily before forcing himself back to the point. "Ok… Trunks is dominant because he's stronger, he's truer to his saiya-jin blood than I am … and he proves he's stronger by fighting. I need to get him to fight me. There's no way in hell he will by choice, not with things the way they are now, which means that I need to force him. Shoot…I really hope Vegeta didn't mean too much when he said Trunks would resist it. I can't sleep with him if he beats me up too bad."

The front door opened quietly, only just audible to Goten's sharp hearing. He smiled, the grin not completely innocent, and waited patiently. Eventually, Trunks entered the kitchen. He looked from the salad to the oven, and then retrieved some plates and began setting the table. "How was work?" Goten asked, watching from his position next to the oven.

"Fine." Trunks' reply was distant and he still refused to look Goten in the eyes.

"You're home early."

"I guess."

"Dinner's pretty haphazard. I hope you don't mind."

"I don't."

Finally, Goten gave up on the failing conversation and returned to his contemplation, continuing to observe Trunks. /He's always out … and he can't be at work that much. I bet if I follow him, I can catch him some place and make him fight me./ The timer on the oven rang. Goten turned lazily and pulled out the dishes, making a face while his back was turned. /I'm doing it soon, though. This silence is grating on my nerves./

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