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Bulma had warned Vegita that one day he would be asked that question.ing. Anything."
"And you're sure he'll ask me." Bulma sighed.
"Probably. And soon."
Vegita did not look forward to s native language. "**How the hell am I supposed to do that?**"
"What did you say?" Trunks asked, perplexed. His father seemed to be making a strange growling noise, and saying something he couldn't understand.
"Huh?" Vegita opened one eye and looked at his son.
"I said, 'What did you say?'"
Then Vegita remembered that Trunks did not speak the Saiyajin language. He probably shoul night.
"Did you tell him?" No answer. "Well?" Vegita lost his patience.
"What the hell do I tell him? I can't exactly say that--"
"--you screwed my brains out abn a tone that was not quite sarcastic.
That night Vegita, no matter how hard he tried, could not fall asleep. He didn't understand the conflicting feelings within him: half of him wanted to tell the brat the whole story and get it over with, but the other half wanted to protect his son--his only son. He couldn't see what harm it would do to tell the boy his origins; then again, Vegita was reluctant to tell Trunks what happened between him and Bulma to produce the purple-haired wonder. Not that he didn't know of course; not only did he know how Bulma got pregnant, he also knew when--down to the minute and the hour. Perhaps that was why Bulma warned him to be--what did she say?--"tactful". Vegita ground his teeth in frustration. This was not going to be easy...
The next morning began a little differently than usual: Trunks was actually eager to get up. Usually Bulma had to pry him out of bed a Goten came to pick him up. Today, though, Trunks was already wolfing down a bowl of cereal when Bulma walked into the kitchen.
"My, you're up early today." She observed.
"Where's dad?"
"Asleep." For the first time in Bulma's life, it seemed, Vegita was not awake before her. He was dozing fitfully when the alarm clock rang, but didn't stir--not even when Bulma got out of bed.
"Dad sleeps?" Trunks asked incredulously. He, too, had never even seen Vegita show any indication that he needed rest.
"I had no idea that he did, either." Bulma answered, laughing.
Perhaps because Trunks was up so early, he was especially hungry.
"Could I have some more?" He held his bowl out to Bulma for a seventh helping.
"You're going to eat me out of house and home, Trunks." Bulma joked, preparing him another serving. She would have to go shoith her around.
"I'm full." Trunks finally declared after two more platefuls.
"Good. Go get your things and put on your shoes; for once don't let Goten-kun wait for you."
"But, Okaasan--" Bulma gave him an "obey-me-or-else" look. Trunks didn't want to find out what the "or else" was; he got everything ready in a flash.
"Go outside and wait for Goten."
"Mom--" Trunks gave her a pleading look. Dad promised! He wanted to shout. He said he would tell me today!
"Hurry up, or you'll be late."
"Aww, Ma--" Trunks protested feebly. He knew he could never argue with his mother, but today was different. He just had to find out what his father was so unwilling to tell him.
"Goten's almost here." Bulma replied, shooing her son out the door.
Vegita very slowly opened his eyes and tried not to let the blinded as he forced himself out of bed; he felt as if he were in the practice room with the gravity turned up all the way. He staggered into the bathroom, where he splashed some cold water on his face to wake himself up. He picked up his razor, then put it back down. Was the stubble on his face worth all the trouble of a shave? Stroking his face and looking into the mirror, Vegita considered growing a mustache. All he had to do was remember how stupid Nappa looked to decide against one. He filled the sink with water, lathered his face with shaving cream, picked up his razor, and began to shave, being careful not to cut himself.
Bulma was still cleaning up after her son when Vegita walked out of his room.
"You're finally up!" She exclaimed. Vegita ignored her and went to the refrigerator. "Don't bother; Trunks ate almost everything this morning."
"That's all right; I me."
"At least I'm not a picky eater."
"No, you're not." Bulma put the last dishes into the cabinet. "I'm going shopping. Care to join me?"
"If Kakarrotto's mate isn't coming."
"You still mad at her for breaking up your little sparring session?" Bulma teased. Vegita had taken Trunks and Goten into the gravity room a few weeks ago to "train". Chi-Chi, furious that Vegita had dared to interrupt Goten's studying, had stormed into the room and nearly rendered him deaf with her tirade.
"That woman thinks that she can 'civilize' her half-breed son."
"Well, it worked, didn't it?"
"For Gohan, maybe. But Goten is not as obedient or studious as his elder brother." Bulma picked up the phone.
"I'm calling her to see if she's available." She dialed Chi-Chi's number. Even though the Son house was in the middle of the woods, where Goku , a phone line. "Mushi mushi? Chi-Chi, this is Bulma. I'm going shopping for some food. You want to go?" She paused for an answer. "Oh, really? Too bad. That's all right. Saiyonara." She hung up and turned to Vegita. "Get dressed, Vegita. Chi-Chi can't come today."
In reality, the only contribution Vegita ever made on these shopping trips was to carry the tremendous amount of food necessary to feed the family. Until recently, he would even refuse to try on any clothes that Bulma picked out for him.
"You can't go around wearing the same outfit all your life!" Bulma had exclaimed when Vegita objected for the umpteenth time.
"Why not?!?" He demanded.
"What will you wfor me to go home and make you lunch." Bulma said, glancing at her watch when they had finally made it to the checkout line. "Why don't we try out the new restaurant that opened last week?"
"Well...I don't want to eat a new restaurant out of business." Vegita joked.
"Very funny." Son-kun did eat all the food from a restaurant once, Bulma remembered fondly. Poor Master Roshi had to use all of his prize money to pay the bill. Taking a look at her own bill, Bulma was glad shng to tell Trunks. Of course I wouldn't exactly be starving right now." Vegita answered testily. Wiping his mouth with the napkin (another unnecessary task forced onto him by Bulma), he stood up.
"Where are you going?"
"Home." Bulma knew what that meant: both of them were to leave.
"You sure you don't want anymore?" She asked pointing to the leftovers (leftovers???).
"Absolutely positive."
By the time Vegita finished helping Bulma put away all of the food, it was t be really concerned about what to do. "When will you be back?" She asked. But he was already gone.
Two hours passed.
Vegita still hadn't returned.
"I'm home!" Trunks announced, noisily taking off his shoes and dumping his back pack onto the sofa. No one replied. "Dad?" Trunks called. "Where are you?" Still no answer. "Dad! You promised!" Trunks ran through the house, looking for his father. Instead, he found Bulma, reading a book in her room. "Mom!" Trunks pouted. Bulma lookeing him closer. "Your father gave me a wonderful present. And that present was you." Trunks eyes opened wide.
"Really?" He asked, amazed. Bulma nodded. "Sugoi! Arigatou!" He shouted happily. Bulma smiled again.
"Now, don't you have some homework to do?"
For a long time Vegita just flew, not knowing where to go. Finally tiring of wanderingthere until dusk. The setting sun dyed the sky and the lake magnificent colors, but Vegita was in no mood to watch. When it got fully dark Vegita went hunting; he ate slowly, like he did at lunch, not even noticing what he killed.
Even though Vegita's, Goten's, and Trunks' tails never grew back, everyone agreed not to restore the moon (which, according to Gohan, Phis way.
"Having a bit of family trouble?" Uranai Baba asked. Vegita stopped.
"Not any of your business." He replied testily, and kept going.
"You can't avoid the inevitable by running away." She called, her voice carrying easily in the dark night. "And you can't run away for ever."
Vegita stopped again. Uranaiof his own son...
Still, when your son is a half-breed brat who can turn Super Saiyajin without being angry--and Trunks had plenty reason to be angry--just the thought of what might happen can be quite unnerving.
Vegita looked.
Trunks was snoring.
Before he could stop himself, a small sigh You didn't--" Bulma shook her head.
"I told him that you gave him to me. Which is true--to a point." Vegita smiled.
"Yes, you could certainly say so." He frowned again. "But it's not exactly the truth, either." Bulma shrugged.
"It'll satisfy him for the time being." Vegita considered this carefully.
"That is not enough." He finally said. "I will have to tell him the whole story." He decided, a bit reluctantly. "When he's older, of course." He added hastily, noticing the look of alarm on Bulma's face.
"Of course." She answered, relieved. The couple got into bed and turned off the lights. Vegita turned towards Bulma and pulled her into his arms.
"I had no idea being a parent would be so difficult." He mumbled, kissing her neck.
"Well," Bulma replied, squirming uncomfortably as Vegita moved on top of her, "that's what happens when you're not careful."
"Oh, I'm careful." Vegita reassured her, unbuttoning her nightgown. "I'm always very careful."
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