In Your Dreams

Title: In Your Dreams
Pairings: Vegeta x Goku
Author: CrimsonTide

A/N - I hope this chapter reads ok. I'm currently jacked up on some crazy meds because I burned my throat during a leaf burning yesterday. The wind shifted and I inhaled some rather hot smoke, and it singed some stuff. I couldn't really move because I had the hose and was already 'at the end of my rope' so to speak ^.^'. So yeah, if it seems a little off, that's why. I kinda floated through this, hehe!

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Chapter 21

Goku thought for sure that everything would be fine now that Dr. Villa was dead. He’d wake up the next morning after their ordeal and resume the life he’d had with his family and friends before everything went awry....

But this was not the case.

The next morning Goku woke up with the worst cold he’d ever had. Bulma told him it was to be expected. After all, he’d been in freezing conditions without any ki to protect him from the elements, and now he was suffering the consequences. After bringing him extra blankets, a bottle of Aspirin, and some hot soup, Bulma officially declared the Saiyajin in quarantine and left him to recover on his own.

Goku had been napping all day long, but every now and then something would wake him up. At first he wasn’t sure what it was; because by the time he became fully conscious the sound had stopped, but it happened again when he was awake, and Goku clearly identified the pitiful wail of Vegeta’s voice drifting in from down the hall.

“Woooomaaaaaan!! I’m dying!”

Bulma’s voice could be heard approaching the older Saiyajin’s bedroom, and Goku couldn’t stop from laughing at her response. “For the last time, you baby, you have a cold! I know you’ve never had one before, but it will go away on its’ own!”

There was a loud sneeze followed by another anguished moan and muffled curses, then silence.

Goku thought the drama was over, and so he gathered his favorite pillows around himself and prepared to go back to sleep. Just as he began to drift off, however, his bedroom door swung open and it hit the wall with a loud smash. The young Saiyajin’s eyes flew open and he quickly sat up in order to see who had so loudly entered his room, and he couldn’t stop the smile from spreading over his lips at the scene that greeted him.

Vegeta stood just inside the door. The older man was shivering, even though he had a thick blanket wrapped around his body, and his hair was sticking out in all directions. Bloodshot eyes glared at him, even though the sniffling noises made him seem less than intimidating.

Vegeta pointed an accusing finger at Goku and spoke in a nasally and congested voice. “You are responsible for this, Ka...Ka.... –AAACHOOO-... Kakarotto!”

The younger Saiyajin sweat dropped at the pathetic picture in front of him, and he rubbed the back of his head as he chuckled. Bulma poked her head out from behind the prince and she smiled at him.

“I hope you don’t mind, Goku, but I thought it would be easier if Vegeta just stayed in here with you until you were both well again. It’ll save me some trips and maybe keep this baby quiet for awhile longer.”

Vegeta glared at the woman as she grabbed a handful of his blanket and pulled him into the room with it. “Miserable onna. I’m not some child!”

“Well, you could have fooled me!” Bulma pulled back the covers next to Goku and promptly shoved the Saiyajin onto the mattress. The older man squawked as he tumbled onto the bed, but he didn’t have an opportunity to give the woman a verbal thrashing before she threw the blankets over him and moved back to the entryway.

“Alright, you two! Get some sleep and get well. I’ll bring you more soup in another hour.”

With that Bulma closed the door and left them alone.

The two Saiyajins stared at the spot the woman had stood in awkward silence before they slowly turned their heads to look at each other. Goku was finally the one to break the silence by sneezing into a tissue he’d had fisted in his hand, and Vegeta arched back away from him as if afraid of being bitten.

“Argh! Disgusting! You look like death, Kakarotto!”

The younger Saiyajin glared at the prince before fishing out a handheld mirror from the bedside dresser. He held it up for Vegeta to see his reflection, and the older man recoiled at the sight of himself. His nose was just as red as his eyes, and his skin was pale and sickly looking. Not only that, but his hair was a mess and he had bags under his eyes.

The older Saiyajin shoved the mirror away as a series of coughs racked his body, and after several minutes of hacking, he collapsed into the pillows surrounding him.

“Kill me now!”

Goku wrinkled up his nose as Vegeta wiped the back of his hand across his own runny nose, and the younger Saiyajin promptly tossed several tissues at his bed partner and scooted away from him. The prince laughed and propped himself up on one elbow so he was facing the other man, who had burrowed back into the blankets.

“What’s the matter, Kakarotto? Don’t you find me sexy right now? Come on, give me a kiss.”

Goku’s gasp turned into a squeal when the older man tried to extract him from his cocoon of blankets, and he grabbed a pillow with his tail and prepared to beat the other Saiyajin off of him. Before he even began to swing, however, the ‘attack’ came to an end and a loud snore drifted through the room.

Goku cautiously poked his head out from under the sheets and looked at Vegeta, who had indeed fallen asleep and was currently drooling all over the place. The younger man carefully pushed him back onto his side of the bed, and his eyes caught sight of something that explained the prince’s weird behavior. Sitting on the nightstand was a bottle of cough syrup.

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A couple of days later and the two Saiyajins were still in quarantine. Their symptoms had ebbed a little, but they were still miserable and contagious.

Currently they were both sitting in the bathroom as they let the shower run at its’ hottest temperature. The steam was helping their congestion and soothing some of their aches, but that didn’t mean Vegeta didn’t have reason to complain.

“This sucks!”

Goku sighed as he leaned on the side of the tub from his spot on the floor. He himself had stripped down to nothing but a towel around his waist, but the older man had opted to be completely, and shamelessly, nude. Since discovering the prince in all his glory, Goku had made sure to keep his own eyes adverted and focused on the tiled wall in front of him. Now he wasn’t sure if Vegeta was complaining about being sick, or that he wouldn’t look at him.

“I can’t believe how long this is taking! I haven’t trained in ages! AGES!” The older man paused and sneezed. “Not only that, but if that onna forces anymore soup down my throat I’m going to puke! ... Kakarotto, are you listening to me?!”

Goku moaned and pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers in an attempt to help ease the headache he felt coming on. Vegeta was the worst sick person in the world! He’d done nothing but complain and whine since he’d been thrown into his room, and quite frankly, he was about ready to strangle him.

By now the older man had gone into a full out rant about being ignored, and Goku finally had enough. He pushed himself to his feet and grabbed the bottle of cough syrup from the sink before moving over to Vegeta. The younger man smiled sweetly, throwing the prince off guard long enough to grab a fistful of his hair and forcefully tilt his head back.

“Gah! What the hell, Ka ----“

Goku quickly forced the medicine into the older man’s mouth and then placed his palm over his lips to ensure he swallowed the foul tasting stuff.

Vegeta gagged and cringed. “What was that for?! That is the nastiest cra----“

A smile spread over Goku’s face as the prince’s eyes rolled back in mid-sentence and he passed out. He caught the older man as he slumped forward, and he maneuvered the larger body around until they were both seated on the floor with Vegeta leaning back against Goku’s chest.

The younger Saiyajin sighed in relief as silence filled the room, save for the steady sound of water hitting tile and the other man’s soft snores. He didn’t even care when he felt drool trickle onto his arm.

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A week later...

Save for the occasional cough and sniffle here and there, Goku and Vegeta were nearly fully recovered. They’d been allowed out of their room and had even gotten dressed in their normal daytime attire for the first time since getting sick.

Things were still not quite back to normal, however. Bulma had disconnected the Gravity Room and refused to let Vegeta train for the next couple of days. Her reason was the potential for a relapse if the prince overdid it, which he mostly certainly would. Apparently there were rules to be followed even AFTER an illness. Most annoying.

“So what am I supposed to do all day then?!” Vegeta shouted.

“I don’t know! Why don’t you do what normal people do?! It’s hot outside; go to the beach or something!” Bulma shouted back before storming from the room.

The prince blinked and turned to Goku, who was sitting at the table eating a bowl of his favorite cereal, Lucky Charms.

“What are you planning?”

The younger Saiyajin picked up the pen sitting beside him a scribbled a quick note on the paper that sat there.

Stuff.

Goku quickly finished his cereal and waved before running outside and whistling. A moment later the nimbus, which now recognized the whistle, scooped up its’ owner and whisked him away, leaving a rather baffled Vegeta behind.

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The next several days were rather uneventful for Vegeta. His two day training ban was over, but he didn’t feel much like training at the moment. He was brooding.

Goku hadn’t been around much in the past week, and the prince was beginning to wonder what was going on. The younger Saiyajin would wake up, eat breakfast, and then disappear on that cloud of his for hours at a time. When he returned he always seemed tired, but in a good mood.

Vegeta had thought about following him in order to find out what he was he did everyday, but he decided against it. Obviously Kakarotto didn’t want him to tag along, so he’d respect that and keep his distance. Still, spending so much time alone provided him with far too much time to think. The prince began to wonder if the younger man was sneaking out to see someone. A couple nights ago Vegeta had picked up a familiar scent on the younger man when he’d returned from his daily outing, and after sorting through his memory banks, he’d recognized the foreign smell as Piccolo’s. His first reaction had been to hunt down the Namekian and tear him to pieces, but his more rational side told him that he should hunt down the Namekian, question him, and THEN tear him to pieces.

And today, after Goku returned, he’d do exactly that.

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By the time he’d reached the Lookout the sun was already setting on the horizon. Piccolo must have sensed his approach, because the large green man was already waiting for him, arms folded.

Vegeta landed silently and folded his own arms as he gauged the Namekian’s reaction to his presence. As usual though, Piccolo’s expression was unreadable, as was his body language.

“Something I can do for you, Vegeta?”

“I want to know why Kakarotto has been coming here to see you everyday this past week.”

Piccolo raised a brow ridge. “What makes you think he’s been coming to see me?”

The prince growled. “Don’t insult my intelligence, green bean! I’ve been picking up your scent on him!”

The taller man drew a deep breath into his lungs before responding. “If he hasn’t told you himself, then it isn’t my place to do so. You’ll need to ask Goku yourself.”

Alarm bells went off in Vegeta’s mind, and though he didn’t show it outwardly, a sense of dread trickled down his spine. Was there really something going on between them?

“....Is he... is he ‘seeing’ you?”

A flicker of amusement flashed over Piccolo’s face for only a moment before he turned and began to walk away. “Go talk to Goku, Vegeta.”

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The flight back to Capsule Corp was a long one, and it was completely dark outside by the time Vegeta landed on the front lawn. Millions of questions and possibilities had begun to flood his mind, and the Saiyajin was becoming more agitated by the moment.

It wasn’t completely unreasonable to assume Kakarotto might have a romantic interest in the Namekian. They’d known each other for a long time, after all; and though Vegeta hated to admit it, Piccolo had been a better friend to the younger Saiyajin than he had been in the past. Also, the prince knew for a fact Piccolo had feelings for Goku, whether he liked to admit it or not. He’d seen the way the Namek looked at the younger man.


Vegeta’s racing mind was still going at full speed when he opened the door and walked inside the building. The smell of cooking food immediately flooded his senses. Bunny must have been preparing dinner tonight. Bulma’s cooking always smelt like burning rubber.

The prince unconsciously made his way to the kitchen. He could distinctly hear a conversation going on, but by the time he’d reached his destination, the voices had stopped. Vegeta looked between Bunny, who was busily stirring the contents of a boiling pot, and Goku, who was sitting on the counter next to her with a bun in his mouth. The younger of the two spotted him first, and he waved enthusiastically.

Vegeta only grunted in response before turning his attention back to Bunny. “Where’s Bulma? I thought I heard her talking to you.”

If the prince had been looking at Goku, he would have seen the brief flicker of annoyance that passed over his face. The blonde woman turned, sporting her usual smile. “Oh no, dear. Bulma is down in the lab. You must have been hearing things! That happens when you’re hungry. Lucky for you dinner will be ready in a few more minutes!”

Bunny turned to Goku and tapped him on the thigh with her spoon. “Why don’t you and Vegeta go get washed up before dinner? Shoo, shoo!”

Goku grabbed another buttered bun before the older woman could stop him, and he chuckled at her annoyed expression as he hopped off the counter. The Saiyajin took a hold of Vegeta’s wrist as he passed by and pulled him out of the room as he went.

The prince allowed himself to be led away, but he stopped abruptly when that scent hit him again. Goku looked back at him in confusion when he was brought to a stop, and his eyes widened when Vegeta growled and suddenly shoved him against the wall.

“Damn it, Kakarotto! Why do you smell like Piccolo again?! What the hell have you been doing with him all week?!”

Goku’s mouth dropped open in shock, and he stared into the older man’s angry eyes as he leaned in toward him. The grip on his biceps tightened and he squirmed in discomfort.

“I went to the Lookout tonight to find out for myself, you know.” Vegeta’s lips curled into a smirk at the look of surprise on the other’s face. “I questioned Piccolo, but he wouldn’t tell me anything. He said I should talk to you, but you’re hiding something, aren’t you?! What is it, Kakarotto?!”

Goku’s heart began to pound in his chest and he shook his head, at a complete loss. He’d known Vegeta could be the jealous type, but he never imagined something like this. The older man was being irrational!

Vegeta growled and his tail lashed behind him as he pressed the smaller Saiyajin more firmly against the wall. “You’re fucking him, aren’t you?!”

“Dende!!” Goku suddenly shouted out.

The prince froze and his eyes went wide as he stared at the man in front of him.

“I’ve been seeing Dende so he could restore my voice.” he continued, still looking at the older man with wide eyes.

It was then Vegeta took a moment to think about what he was doing, and he finally saw through the haze of rage that had clouded his vision and really looked at the man in front of him. What he saw brought a wave of guilt so strong he thought his knees might give out.

Goku was shaking in his grasp, and his face had gone pale. He looked as if he expected the older man to hit him at any moment. Black eyes were also full of unshed tears, and Vegeta quickly released the other Saiyajin and took a step back. Goku slumped against the wall and looked down at the floor.

“I didn’t say anything in case it didn’t work... Then I wanted to surprise you. I’m sorry.”

Vegeta shook his head. “Don’t apologize, Kakarotto...” He went to move toward the younger Saiyajin again, reaching out to hold him, but Goku ducked away and quickly walked away, leaving him alone with his guilt.


TBC