Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Vegeta's Christmas Carol ❯ The Holiday Party ( Chapter 1 )

Vegeta's Christmas Carol

by Orchideater

Rated: R

Warnings: Humor yaoi, Gk/V, Christmas cheer, grinchiness, OOCness, nudity, innuendo, a bit of Vegeta torture (the fun kind, not the bdsm kind), and bizarre underwear.

A/N: Oh why, god, no! Why am I doing a Christmas fic when I have other fics I need to get back to work on?! Ahhhhh... hell, I just had to do it. This won't be one of my best because I didn't have much time to get it done (and I am a slow writer), but hopefully it will be worth a laugh and add some enjoyment to your holiday season. Cheers! -hic-

Chapter 1 warnings: just some drunkenness and a bit of language.

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Chapter 1: The Holiday Party

A timely snow fell upon West City, blanketing the metropolis with a thick layer of white and instilling a sense of quiet reverence to the crisp night. The stores had closed, and the continuous hive-like bustle in the streets that had lasted for weeks finally ended. People had gone home or traveled away to be with the ones they loved.

Such was the influence of the new holiday called Christmas, an important tradition in the western lands that had been swiftly gaining in popularity around the globe. The conventions and trappings of the holiday appealed greatly to the people of West City, as well as the more high-minded message of generosity and appreciation of friends and family.

Unfortunately, as sure as every party has a pooper, hand in hand with the cheerful giving of gifts and the tales of sleighs and reindeer came another tradition, that of the grinch or scrooge. This special brand of naysayer was known as a pessimistic person who scoffs at the Christmas celebrations of others because of unhappiness in his own heart.

Despite the stress, hectic pace, and growing cynicism that exhausted people during the season, the Christmas time could also be known as a time of great miracles and joy, if one only knew where to look. In fact, on that fateful Christmas eve, even the ultimate saiyan scrooge found the way to change his life and find peace with the one he loved most- with a little help from above.

***

Bulma had taken to the new holiday en force, decorating Capsule Corp. with the passion of the inspired and baking up a storm (that is, heating up slice-off cookies in the oven and instructing the caterers how to provide the rest).

The entire gang had been invited for a Christmas eve bash, from the Sons to the Briefs to the residents of Kame House. Trunks and Goten had even been instructed to hunt down Tien and Chaoutzu and drag them back for the celebration, whether they liked it or not.

Bulma was thrilled with the resulting get-together, where friends could catch up and reacquaint and fond memories could be relived. The garden atrium had been laid out with dozens of tables piled high with more food than even six saiyans and Buu could eat. The guests ate at their leisure from the buffet, mingling and chatting. Wine and sake flowed freely.

In this party, though, as in every party, the saiyan prince isolated himself from the others and ate his meal alone. He participated only when forced to by the children, who had recently pushed him to come look at Bulma's old photo albums with the rest, and then dragged him to the tree to open gifts.

Bulma had bought presents extravagantly for everyone, assuring them that return gifts were not needed since the holiday was relatively new to them and some guests such as Tien had little to no money. In return for her generosity the guests had to deal with Bulma's strange sense of humor about gifts, which only grew stranger with each passing year.

Not only was Vegeta mortified to hear he'd have to open a gift from Bulma in front of everyone, the gift itself was worse: a pink dress shirt and red tie.

"It's this year's 'in' color. Pink's for men now, too- it's not like before with your old Badman shirt. You look good in pink, Vegeta!" she yelled at him between drunken giggles as he got up and stalked away into the kitchen without a word.

Stupid woman and her questionable fashion sense! he fumed, finally giving in and pouring himself a small glass of sake.

He did NOT want to get drunk. Drunkenness made a person do stupid things, let secrets slip, and was a guilty pleasure he could never indulge in- especially around him.

Kakarotto.

Vegeta felt his cheeks flush just at the thought of the man- another reason why he had to stay away from the group. He had greeted Son Goku with a silent head nod from across the atrium, and did his best to avoid him the rest of the time. He stole glances whenever he could, though, and then only when he knew no one could see him watching.

Kakarot wore a new formal dress suit that evening, black with a white shirt and burgundy tie, conservative but classy. The lines of the three-piece hugged and flattered his large form excellently, providing a much more attractive look than his old, ill-fitting tweed hand-me-down.

Vegeta was dying to stare, and at the same time furious at himself for such weakness. Now he wished that he'd worn the tailored suit that Bulma had laid out for him. He'd spurned it and worn his usual navy training gear with white gloves and boots just to spite her, since he was severely annoyed at the amount of time and energy she was pouring into this party.

Christmas cheer. Tch. Presents and fellowship. Bah! When had he ever gotten what he really wanted?

He wanted immortality and the death of Frieza on his hands, and both eluded him.

He wanted to kill Cell and Buu- nothing bitter failure.

He wanted to be the most powerful in the universe, but now several warriors exceeded him by far.

He'd resigned himself to these losses by now, accepted them, made peace with them, and moved on. All of these past aspirations he dismissed as foolish indulgences. Then one day he realized that all his heart truly wanted more than anything in the world was Kakarot- only Kakarot. Perhaps that was what he'd wanted all along, but couldn't admit.

Tragically, as soon as his true goal became clear he cast it aside. He could never have Kakarot. Kakarot had a family. He had a family. It was best to keep things the way they were, to admire him from afar. At least this way he could still keep his dreams intact, and his fantasies of what might be. They were all he would ever have. However, most of the time he even denied the fantasies, as he tried to convince himself that he had no feelings for Kakarot.

Vegeta wandered back to the living room and leaned against the doorframe, crushing the ropes of holly that adorned it, and watched them. He'd arrived back just in time to see Goku opening a thin rectangular box, his gift from Bulma.

He enthusiastically tore off the paper and lifted the lid, then frowned in confusion. A wad of colorful material... some sort of Christmas craft?

He turned it over in his hands. "What is this, Bulma?"

Bulma choked and quivered, barely restraining her laughter.

Yamcha, who'd been peering over Goku's shoulder from the other side of the couch, suddenly snatched the item out of his hands and held it high above his head for all to see. "Oh-ho-ho, my god- Goku, you will be stylin' in these! Chichi won't be able to keep her hands off you."

Almost everyone began snickering madly. Now that Goku could see the proper shape the material was supposed to take, he realized what they were.

"Bulma! Those aren't- those're-"

Bulma had given him a pair of men's Christmas novelty underwear.

Vegeta gawked for a moment, then clapped a hand over his face and shook his head. Good lord, woman...

Bulma was laughing so hard she fell off her chair. Tears streamed down her face. "Oh, oh, Goku. Oh your face!"

Goku quickly turned crimson and folded his arms in a sulk. "I am NOT wearing those."

Likewise, Gohan was paralyzed in embarrassment that such a fiasco had to happen in front of his girlfriend.

"What's the meaning of this Bulma?" Chichi demanded, her face almost as red as Goku's. "How dare you give my husband men's lingerie!"

Bulma gasped for breath. "It's just a joke, Chichi. A gag gift! Don't be so serious. Besides, you know you're going to make him wear those as soon as you guys get home."

"I most certainly will not! And I hope you kept the receipt."

Bulma, still laughing, poured her another large glass of wine to mellow her out.

Goku retrieved the underwear and stuffed them into his jacket pocket, since Trunks and Goten had begun clamoring to see what all the fuss was about. Bulma sent them to the den to watch cartoons since they'd opened their gifts already. They rushed past Vegeta, each grabbing a hand and dragging him along with them.

"Come on, Dad, watch the Wacky Toons Christmas marathon with us!"

Vegeta grunted and scowled but went along- he had nothing better to do besides eat, after all, and he needed a good distraction from Kakarot before he started envisioning him in those awful bikini briefs.

The boys flopped on the couch, each proudly nursing their glasses of pink water. Earlier Bulma gave them water with a dash of wine dropped in so they wouldn't feel left out.

"Now, see Dad, this is Bebe the Skunk. He's one of my favorites," Trunks enlightened him. "He's always chasing after this cat, and he scares everybody away because he smells so bad! It's really funny."

Ugh, the mini-brats always chose such stimulating entertainment.

"Ohh, this episode's a good one, watch this Mister Vegeta, watch, watch!" Goten chimed in.

Vegeta subjected himself to 45 minutes of animated skunks, rabbits, and lisping hunters before he got up to check on the adult wing of the party again.

He scanned the area. Bulma had calmed Chichi down and they now laughed like sorority sisters over a private joke. Where the hell was Kakarot? He had to know his location so he could avoid him properly.

Preoccupied with his search, he noticed too late the presence behind him. He startled as a large warm arm descended around his shoulders.

"Hey, Vegeta."

Vegeta swung his head round to stare up in shock at his erstwhile rival and friend.

Ahh, he's touching me. He is touching me!

All the evening's efforts at avoidance went down the drain.

Goku's face and neck were flushed from the alcohol, his cheeks rosy as he grinned amiably down on Vegeta. He'd taken off his jacket and tie, rolled up his sleeves and unbuttoned the top three buttons on his dress shirt. Vegeta zeroed in immediately on the exposed flesh.

"Geta, where you been? All you been doin' all night is holding up the walls. Come party with us- have a drink! Loosen up some."

Vegeta tore his gaze away and scoffed. "A prince does not 'loosen up' or humiliate himself with the effects of inebriation. I have had one glass of sake and that's all I need. And I can't believe you of all people are drunk, Kakarot!" Let go of me, let go of me, let go of me...

"Aww, c'mon, Geta! I only do this once or twice a year. It's Christmas!" he slurred happily.

"Bah."

Goku laughed, and to Vegeta's chagrin, pulled him closer and gave him a friendly shake. He then stopped and peered down at him with great interest. Vegeta glanced nervously at him out of the corner of his eye.

"Ohh, sorry Vegeta." He grasped Vegeta's face with one hand and turned him to face him. "You have had some! Your face is all red."

Vegeta countered with a harsh punch to his shoulder. "Get off me, you drunken oaf!"

Goku wobbled and fell down. "Oww. Geez, Geta, you don't have to be like that," he whined. The rest of the group hooted and broke into applause. Goku and Vegeta were at it again- always a good source of entertainment.

"Baka! Leave me alone and go back to your party. You're a disgrace, getting drunk like that. A warrior should be ready and aware at all times."

"Fine, fine, I get th' message," Goku mumbled, hurt and anger lacing his voice as he clambered to his feet. Once he noticed the others laughing, though, he grinned and hammed it up.

"You can tell that fool woman of mine I've gone to bed early. I've had enough of this party."

Vegeta spun on his heel and strode away. Goddammit, that was exactly what he'd been trying to avoid. Kakarot had seen him blush- inexcusable!- and now Vegeta had pushed him away again, giving him all the more reason to dislike the company of the surly prince.

Just as well, Vegeta tried to convince himself. It's better this way. Pursuing him would only ruin everything. A-And I don't even want him in the first place!

He stormed into his room, locking the door behind him, and fell into bed trying to forget what had just happened. Too much sake, too many unusual foods, too much emotional stress.

Maybe someday it wouldn't hurt to try for Kakarot, he thought just before drifting off. Bulma wouldn't have to know, and if it didn't work out, at least he would still have her. Or maybe he could see Kakarot secretly, and keep up a front with Bulma for the kids' sakes...

Bah. Foolishness, all of it.

An uncomfortable sleep claimed the solitary prince, as images and sounds of the holiday night swirled through his mind.

***