Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Fall of the Mighty ❯ Vulnerable in independence a.k.a. Get away from me you baka! ( Chapter 3 )

~A Word from the All Mighty~

Well, I hope you all continue to like this as the story progresses. I hope you are ready for my little plot twist, I think you'll like it. I haven't seen a fic that goes this way yet but I tend to only read certain stuff anyway. If I do post more than just my first two stories you will see that I have certain themes that reoccur especially with Vegeta. That is just the way I picture him. Like me I assume that he always has a plan, has an accepted view of the world around himself, and has an answer for everything even if he has to pull it out of his ass at the last minute.

~I Shall Go now To Supervise Something Else~

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Goku barely managed a squawk before the energy blast erupted from the prince's palms sending him rocketing through the wall and out to land on the lawn.

"Father!!!"

Trunks appeared flying down the hall at super speed. The door burst open just as Vegeta forced his protesting body to roll over again.

"Father! Are you alright?"

"I need another blanket…" Vegeta mumbled sleepily. "Kakarotto took mine."

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*Vulnerable in independence a.k.a. Get away from me you baka!*

Trunks saw the large hole in the wall with no sign of Goku and surmised that Vegeta must have woken up and decided that he did not want company. He retrieved a blanket for him and was about to leave when his father spoke again.

"Go get that idiot and put him to bed before that dog of yours starts barking or I'll never get any sleep."

Trunks couldn't help but laugh when he found Goku. The big lug was floundering around on the wet grass all wrapped up in Vegeta's blanket. "What? Did father roll you up in his blanket before blasting you out of his room?"

Goku laughed nervously. "Uh…yeah, something like that."

Trunks helped him to his feet. "Don't worry, Goku. I'm sure he's just a little cranky. If he was really mad he wouldn't have sent me out to get you."

"He sent you?"

Trunks noticed his uncle perk up immensely at that news. "Come on, Goku. You should be resting. Don't even think of going back to father's room either. I already have one hole to fix, I don't need another one."

Goku couldn't sleep for the longest time, his mind was spinning out of control. 'I shouldn't have done that. Stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid! I should have more control than that! He threw me out! He said "how dare you" and blasted me! He must despise me! He must be disgusted! If he ever stopped hating me he certainly does now! How could I be so stupid?! He's right. I AM an idiot! but… He sent Trunks to bring me back. How could he want me to stay? Maybe he pities me. No. He would have let me go if he did. He doesn't hate me because he would have left me out there. Does he feel anything for me or is he indifferent? What is he thinking? Will we still be friends? Oh Kami! What will I do when I see him tomorrow?! How can I look him in the eye ever again?! What will I say? What will *he* say?!!' Goku obsessed over these questions and more for most of the night getting only fitful fragments of sleep.

When Trunks left Vegeta the prince lay as if already fast asleep. In reality he was carefully going over the events that had led up to the very moment when Kakarott…*!kissed him!*. This explained a lot of the tension that had grown between them. He was vaguely surprised that the whole ordeal hadn't pissed him off royally but he was still in shock and didn't really know what to think. He sighed and took control of himself, at least he wasn't so depressed anymore. 'What better way to take your mind off things than to have your long time rival confess *his* love.' Vegeta thought wryly. Surprisingly he felt pretty good. That damn fool was probably having a coronary next door. He could feel nervous energy radiating from the idiot. 'What am I going to…oh shut up! He can stew for a while for all I care. I'll think about this tomorrow.' Decisively the worn Saiyajin purged all thoughts from his mind and slept deeply.

Blurry, sleep deprived eyes watched the sun rise over C.C. Shortly after daybreak sounds of life began to fill the large complex. A very sleepy and still disturbed Saiyan stumbled his way to the kitchen hoping that breakfast might help calm his frayed nerves.

A peacefully sleeping prince awoke before dawn, as was his habit, feeling stiff and immobile. Muscles protested harshly at having to move only to be moved more so by the stubborn ouji. Stretching his arms in achingly slow movements Vegeta groaned. 'It feels like I've been stepped on by a giant and the foot is still there!' With a determined growl the prince tossed back the blanket and swung out of bed. Nothing was going to stop him from his morning workout.

Vegeta studied the wood-grain floor of his bedroom intently before, with difficulty, lifting his shoulders off the ground to glare at his surroundings accusingly. It took a few seconds to realize that his body was not responding like it should. Weakly Vegeta began testing his muscles as well as he could while half laying on the floor. Very quickly the problem became apparent. His legs and tail. Though he could flex his various muscles and wiggle his toes satisfactorily he could will no strength into them. He did not become really alarmed until he noticed that his precious tail could do little more than twitch ineffectually. Wide-eyed and nearly panicking the small Saiyajin snatched up his tail and shook it as if that might wake it up. It only flopped limply, twitching ever so slightly.

"No…" The quiet syllable seemed to hang in the air. Suddenly all the horrible thoughts that had been driven away came flooding back. 'NO!' That one word kept repeating in his mind. 'I…I'm BROKEN!' If the prince had been unable to deal with life before, he was going do have a even worse problem with it now. For a few seconds Vegeta couldn't breathe, couldn't think beyond the knowledge that he couldn't move, couldn't walk. 'HELPLESS' That thought stopped the prince. 'No, not helpless. I am never helpless.'

After what seemed like an eternity the prince collected himself. Using thickly muscled arms he easily hoisted himself back onto the bed carefully avoiding crushing his lifeless tail. Once comfortably settled against plush pillows with his head and shoulders resting against the wall and blanket flawlessly in place, Vegeta set about plotting his best course of action. He could see that all of his more life threatening wounds were gone. He barely had any cuts or scrapes on him though he was still a mess of bruises…not to mention paralyzed. That meant that he had not been given a senzu, the bean would have healed him completely. So what else was there? Dende. Dende's healing abilities were finite, depending on energy. That might explain things. Of course, he may have been left this way to teach him a lesson, to humble him…but none of these people thought that way. Even if they did they wouldn't do something like that. They were all too good-hearted. So…all he needed was to get his hands on a senzu and he'd be fine. Still disconcerted but now reassured Vegeta felt for the other inhabitants of the house. The sun was well up now and everyone should be…yes, he felt his son approaching.

Trunks had just come down to breakfast to have Goku mention that his father hadn't gotten up yet. 'Father must have been hurt worse than I thought. He never sleeps past dawn.' The purple haired man knocked lightly before cracking open the door. His father was still in bed. Vegeta leaned against the wall with an air of relaxed indifference, his arms folded behind his head. "Good morning, father. Did you sleep in?"

Vegeta merely regarded him silently.

"Breakfast is ready."

"Is it?" He replied sounding slightly annoyed.

"How do you feel? Are you alright?"

The prince recalled his thoughts earlier of a giant foot. "I feel trod upon."

"Oh. Would you like me to have breakfast brought up to your room?"

"That sounds like a very good idea." The prince agreed sounding almost civil. Trunks turned to leave but his father stopped him. "Trunks. Do we lave any senzu beans left around here?"

"No, father. We used them all up a while ago. Why? Do you want one? Do you need one?!" Vegeta brushed away his son's concern. "I was just curious, never know when we may have need of some. Obviously."

"Oh, alright father."

The small Saiyajin watched birds fly by the immense hole in his wall while he waited for his food. He hated to show weakness but he needed the energy a meal would give him. It was better than crawling out where everyone could see him. Soon there came a timid knock at his door. "Come." His voice was gruff despite the calm facade.

Hesitantly Goku entered the room carrying a tray laden with food. "Good morning, Vegeta. Are you hungry?"

"Saiyajin are always hungry, you are a testament to that fact." Vegeta spoke looking non-plussed for the foolish question.

"Yeah, I guess I am." He set the tray beside the bed. Nervousness was almost sparking from the big man. The prince ignored him intent instead on wolfing down his much needed nourishment. Goku couldn't stand the silence for long. "Hey, Vegeta, are you okay?" He paused before remembering something. "Does your back hurt?"

The prince froze in mid chew then forced himself to swallow. "Why do you ask that?"

"Well…it's just that you never sleep in. There have been times when you've woken me up way out at my house before dawn. I just thought…"

Vegeta cut him off. "Why did you ask if my back hurt?"

"Um. Dende said you hurt it when you fell. He said it might be a little while before you healed perfectly."

"Why didn't he just heal me completely?"

Goku turned sheepish and apologetic, distraught at having to answer. "There was too much damage."

Vegeta nodded to himself and continued to eat. After a few more mouthfuls Vegeta paused. "Kakarott, perhaps you should go and bring back some senzu beans. My son says there aren't anymore here and we should have some handy just incase." Goku was caught off guard by how polite the ouji was being. "Um…Vegeta…?"

The prince regarded wide unsure eyes and cocked one eyebrow. "We will speak later." His tone brooked no argument and he began to eat again.

"Sure, Vegeta. I'll go right away." With two fingers pressed to his forehead Goku disappeared.

Once the Saiyan was gone the prince turned his attention to his limp tail. 'Just a few days, huh?' He tried again to move the appendage receiving only a light twitch. 'No, that will not do.'

When Goku returned, the tray of food was empty and Vegeta was still lounging in bed. "It looks like the beans aren't ready yet. It will be another day or two." Vegeta closed his eyes for a moment then glared angrily at Goku.

"Isn't that just the way it goes." He spat sarcastically. Goku tensed beneath the glare then laughed nervously tucking one hand behind his head. "Hey, I know what would sheer you up. Let's go spar. You're probably in much better condition than I am right now." That eyebrow rose again, this time in an annoyed and condescending manner. "No, that would not 'cheer me up'. Go away!"

The big Saiyan stared at his prince. Vegeta never refused a spar! "Your back does hurt doesn't it?"

"No, it does not hurt!" By now the ouji was beginning to lose what little patience he owned.

"Well if you back doesn't hurt how come you haven't gotten up?"

"KAMI!! You thick-headed, moronic, brain-damaged, clown of an excuse for a living breathing entity! My back does not hurt you inbred, low-class, inadequate, idiot! It's fucking useless!!!" The seething prince held up his tail and shook it in his rage and frustration before realizing just what he'd done and said. His jaw clacked closed audibly but the damage had already been done. Vegeta smacked his head against the wall loudly, angry at his own weakness and how badly he was dealing with this. Goku just stood there for a minute trying to separate the information from the barrage of insults. Innocently he stepped closer to peer at Vegeta's tail.

"Useless?"

The angry ouji grasped Goku's shirt drawing them nose to nose. "Don't make me kill you, Kakarotto. I was ready to die yesterday. Taking you with me today would be more honorable."

Goku ignored the threat and pressed for more information. "You can't get up?"

Vegeta fought his pride to answer truthfully. "Don't you think I would have beat the shit out of you by now if I were able?"

"Let me see."

A vicious growl stopped Goku's hand from touching the wounded Saiyajin. Finally Goku's carefully kept temper broke free again. "Shit Vegeta! What the hell is your problem?! I'm not going to *do* anything to you! I'm not 'making' you do anything! I'm just trying to help! Will you fucking let me help!?!"

The growl only rose in pitch and volume.

A short while later

Vegeta was still unsure just how he had ended up on his stomach with Goku's hands tracing his taught angry frame. He only knew that there wasn't much he could do about it. Above him Goku was still annoyed but calmed down now that the prince had stopped fighting him tooth-and-nail. 'Jeez!' Goku thought as his fingers probed the muscles of the smaller Saiyajin's back. 'He's not tense, he's a rock!' Sure fingers reached the small of the prince's back and encountered a large knot of muscle. Goku gently pressed into it and found what he was looking for.

"FUCK!!!!!"

Vegeta's entire body stiffened in pain, his hands gripped the sheets so tightly that the cloth shredded.

"I guess that's the spot." Goku said lightly while removing his fingers. "You know, this will go a lot easier if you loosen up a little."

Instead of screaming at the other Saiyan the prince used his moment of respite to get his breath back and complied. He couldn't believe how bad that had hurt, it felt like rusty nails being pressed into him all the way up his spine and down his poor tail. The larger Saiyan felt Vegeta relax under his palms and was shocked at the difference it made. "Wow, you really do have iron control, don't you?" Goku started again on the now flexible flesh, carefully skirting the knot of muscle. Once the surrounding area was acceptably loose Goku began to work on the problem area, much to Vegeta's loud protest.

"OOWWWWW!!!!! SHIT!!! Kakarott!!"

"Hush, it'll get better."

Vegeta's fingers dug into the mattress while the rest of his body stayed forcibly limp. The good-natured man was right, though, soon the pain dissipated and the prince couldn't help himself. After all the stress, all the emotional and mental strain he'd been under. He'd felt like a taught bowstring for so long and it all seemed to melt away. Despite himself the ouji fell asleep.

It seemed to take forever before the tissue unclenched around the prince's spine, but Goku worked it away patiently. You didn't study martial arts all your life without learning at least some healing techniques. The softhearted Saiyan had been relieved when the prince finally stopped protesting, only now did he realize that Vegeta was fast asleep. He paused a moment then continued massaging his prince's muscular back, enjoying the feel of the firm tanned skin beneath his palms. This was probably the closest he'd ever get to the other Saiyajin and it would most certainly never happen again. After a while a very quiet rumble began to emanate from the sleeping prince. Goku's eyes widened and his heart leapt, it took all his self-control to keep from wrapping his arms around his beloved old friend. The moment was too precious to risk waking him.

Awwww, just how do you think Veggie would react if he found out that not only did he fall asleep but he also purred for Kaky? I love the reviews! Thanx soooo much. Normally I don't go for attention but… Praise Me!! PRAIIIIIISSSSEEE MEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!

Ahem :cough: sorry. I'm working on the part of the story where I got writer's block. If you have any suggestions please let me know. I have it pretty planed out for about 4 or 5 more chapters then I have to actually work at it.