Even with the comforting words of his stoic mentor, Gohan was scared. The energy he and the others had been feeling for the last few days was unbelievably high, both from Vegeta and his father. Kami and Piccolo had both assured him more than once that the two full-blooded Saiyans, despite all appearances, were not killing each other. But the small Son had his doubts.

Piccolo had suggested coming to Kami's after the incident with his sire, and Gohan had followed the Namek out of simple fear and confusion. He had never seen his father so aggressive; even in battle the tall Saiyan was almost amiable. It just wasn't natural. Vegeta must have done something really awful to send him over the edge like that.

The demi-Saiyan sighed, pacing the circular confines of the tower for the thousandth time. It helped that Krillin, Yamcha, Tien, and Chaotzu were there, but he wasn't going to feel at ease until he saw his father's friendly smile.

His dark eyes widened dramatically as he sensed a significant increase in his father's and Vegeta's energy level and his heart fell like a rock in his chest as, after a prolonged moment, they both fizzled down to almost nothing. Gohan's expression hardened and he pivoted where he stood, taking to the air in the direction of his father. He couldn't take it anymore--he had to know what was going on. Piccolo's stubborn silence on the matter was grating on his nerves. He would just have to find out for himself.

Sensing his pupil launch into the air, Piccolo dropped out of his meditative state.

"Gohan!" He saw the small boy pause and knew that he was debating with himself over whether to defy his teacher or remain where he was. The Namek was fully aware of the sway he held with the kid, but he wondered to what extent that rivaled the love the demi-Saiyan had for his father. Son Goku wasn't much in the way of a parent, but the bond between the two was undeniably strong.

The Namek held Gohan's defiant gaze, his arms folded habitually over his chest. He would take after the boy if needed--Goku and Vegeta would come to them when they were ready. It wouldn't do for the kid to find out first hand the relationship his father was developing with the arrogant Saiyan prince.

Piccolo inwardly marveled at the knowledge. When he and the two others had sought after Goku the first time, he had honestly thought the two men were finishing each other off. He never would have suspected...

Better not to think about that. The kid needs me now.

Gohan had not moved from his place in the air, and the statuesque Namek was fairly certain he wasn't going to do anything rash. He suspected the boy had felt the energy surge and that had set him off--Piccolo shuddered. He knew the source of it and it made him all the more grateful that his people were asexual.

Keeping his eyes locked on the young Saiyan, Piccolo silently contemplated his stance on the matter. Over the years, he had begrudgingly adopted a protective affection for the boy--most people learned the hard way. You just don't fuck with the kid. Not when Piccolo was around (or even when you think he isn't...). He thoughtfully pondered how to interpret the situation. It was, after all, Son Goku, Gohan's father...but it was Vegeta as well, someone that the Namek wouldn't trust with a box of animal crackers. His hairless brow creased and he grunted in annoyance. He sincerely hoped that this new development wasn't a threat to Gohan.

That was something Piccolo simply would not stand for.

Piccolo was giving him that warning look, and Gohan was trying his best to ignore it. He truly did not want to upset the Namek, but he was really worried...

"Otousan!" he cried happily as he saw the figure of his father approaching with Vegeta.

The five warriors below watched the reunion with a relieved sigh; Goku seemed back to his normal self as he embraced his son, and Vegeta didn't seem to be any more of a threat than usual.

Gohan laughed as he flew to meet his father, comforted by the strong arms that circled his waist and lifted him against the tall Saiyan's chest. He could have cried with the enormity of the relief that he felt, knowing his father was alright and no longer engaged in a life or death matter that no one would explain to him. The small Son wrapped his arms around his neck and inhaled deeply, waiting for the warm, welcoming scent that was his father...only to find he smelled distinctly like Vegeta.

Goku had never thought a situation could be so rewarding and so uncomfortable at the same time. It had been a fleeting insecurity that had caused him to worry about Gohan, but he still needed to somehow break it to his young son that his father was now involved with the man most associated with the word enemy.

He smiled broadly as he hugged the small demi-Saiyan. Gohan was a bright boy. This shouldn't be nearly as hard as he was imagining...

When Gohan pulled out of his father's grip, his wide eyes couldn't help but glance quickly over at the forbidding Saiyan prince. Something strange was going on. Even when his father came home from his sparring sessions with Vegeta, he didn't smell like him. The demi-Saiyan took a better look at the man before him. Neither his dad, nor Vegeta were dressed in their usual training uniforms. So what the heck had they been doing, if not fighting?

The tall Saiyan saw the look of confusion seep into Gohan's features and he sighed. Dammit, I knew he was too smart, he thought with a touch of hopeless pride. Goku took a deep breath, running a hand over the back of his neck. Now or never. He looked uncertainly over at his lover, blushing, suddenly overwhelmed with what he was about to do, and unsure how to ask Vegeta to leave so that he could talk to Gohan alone. The Saiyan no Ouji met his gaze, his dark eyes impenetrable. With a barely discernable grunt, the other Saiyan turned and flew down to where the others were waiting.

Piccolo watched the scene above him carefully, analyzing the expression on Gohan's face and silently determining when and if he would be needed to step in. It was with annoyance that the Namek and the Saiyan acknowledged each other's presence, the prince landing a respectable distance from the gawking group and immediately refraining from opening himself up to questions and accusations by crossing his arms over his chest. Piccolo shrugged off the arrogant Saiyan and turned his eyes again to the sky to concentrate on the two Sons.

"Gohan..." Goku shuffled his feet nervously. How in the world was he supposed to explain this to his son?? He hardly knew the reasoning himself. So much had changed in just two days..."I, uh, need to tell you something."

Gohan noted his father's anxious movements with concern. He and his dad had always been able to talk about anything. There wasn't much that made the tall man visibly uncomfortable. Had Gohan done something wrong? Oh, this really wasn't a good sign...

Bite the bullet... "I wanted to say this to you first, Gohan. Before I talk to the others." So far, so good. Just keep talking...

"What is it 'tousan?" Kami, his son looked so trusting, so innocent. I hope he understands why I can't be with his mother anymore...

The tall Saiyan breathed deeply, blushing fiercely, desperately attempting to work around the cotton in his mouth. You are a warrior, dammit! Even so, Goku was pretty damn sure he had never fought a more difficult battle.

*sigh*Dammit, Kakarott, just tell him!

Vegeta?

He chuckled at the mental cursing of his mate, and somehow the knowledge that Vegeta was there, no matter how reluctant, soothed the spastic butterflies in his stomach.

"Heh, Vegeta, you look a lot better than the last time we saw you." Vegeta's eyes focused immediately on the source of the unwanted interruption. His lip curled upward in distaste as his steely gaze stared down at the small man responsible.

"What the hell are you talking about?" His tone was clip, his body tense--the Saiyan prince knew the picture he presented and it astonished him that the smaller man had the nerve to speak directly to him. Besides, he had made it a point to ignore each and every one of these idiotic earthlings until the androids were scheduled to arrive.

"W-Well, um, last time we saw you, Goku had beaten you up pretty badly and he looked pretty...upset," the bald man backed off as Vegeta's eyes narrowed dangerously. The Saiyan prince silently scolded himself at his lack of attention.

Of course! They must have sensed our energy and couldn't keep their damn noses out of it.

No wonder Kakarott had been so eager to seek out his brat, if the monk had come, then it stood to reason that the boy was with him. The amused smirk that slipped into his scowl thickened the scent of fear oozing off the other man. He would have given his royal title to see the reaction on their faces when they saw their beloved Goku under the influence of his suppressed Saiyan side.

"'Tousan, does this have to do with Vegeta-san?" Goku's eyes looked down at his young son in wonder. He would never understand how the boy could be so perceptive. Couldn't possibly be his side of the family.

Hn. You're an idiot, Kakarott. Your father was a genius. The tall Saiyan smiled at the words. Maybe Gohan did get it from his side of the family...

"'Tousan?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah...yeah, it does, Gohan. How did you know?" He watched curiously as his son's face darkened with varying shades of crimson and scarlet.

The small Son cleared his throat and looked down, suddenly extremely interested in the scene below his feet.

"You...uh...smell like him, 'tousan."

The demi-Saiyan hadn't spent all those hours studying with nothing to show for it. It wasn't hard for Gohan to tell what his father was going to say; Goku rarely blushed, and when he did it was generally obvious where its origin lay. The tall Saiyan didn't keep secrets well and those he attempted to could be read off his guilty face with little to no effort. Gohan's suspicion was clarified at the mention of the Saiyan no Ouji's name. He didn't know his father could look like such a love-struck teenager. It therefore came as only a small shock when he translated his embarrassed father's mumbled words.

"I know it sounds strange, Gohan, but I've started seeing Vegeta," he coughed, fiddling intently with the blue material of the band around his right wrist.

Gohan smiled, quietly relieved. This made things a lot easier. There was something he needed to tell the large Saiyan, now that he knew his father would understand. And at least now he knew there was nothing wrong with himself.

Goku looked up with a hopeful smile as he felt his son's small hand on his arm.

The familiar Son smile was thankfully reflected on the demi-Saiyan's adoring face and the fist that gripped his heart was finally loosening enough for him to once again breathe evenly.

"You're ok with that, Gohan?" He didn't try to keep the ecstatic relief from his voice or the joyful smile from conquering his nervous features. Was it possible that Gohan really didn't care one way or the other? Goku had never expected to be shunned by his son, but this instant acceptance was both welcome and unnerving.

The demi-Saiyan met his eyes with a heartfelt laugh and the tall Saiyan returned it with ease. No matter what happened now, Goku knew that everything was going to be just fine. Gohan was the only one with an opinion that really mattered to him anyway...

Gohan could see the strain leave his father's face as he nodded in response to his question. His young heart sang with his sire's declaration, but part of him still held back. There was a secret he had been keeping for months, something that he had thought completely ludicrous and wrong until a few moments ago when his father had said the words no one would have ever thought possible. But still...

"I'm really sorry about earlier, Gohan. Well, you see, Vegeta and I fought, and I guess I just got carried away...I didn't mean to snap at you."

The small boy smiled warmly up at the embarrassed expression plastered on the Saiyan's face, shrugging at the words that had broken through his own tentative thoughts.

"It's ok, 'tousan," Gohan squeezed the hand that dwarfed his own, lending his strength and understanding to his dad. "I know Vegeta's not as bad as he seems. I remember how he helped Krillin and me on Namek." The demi-Saiyan paused, his brows slanting downward in a gesture of annoyance. "And 'kaasan yells at you almost," Gohan shook his head firmly, "no, she yells at you more than me. It's like you're my brother instead of my father. At least when Vegeta talks to you, it's like an adult."

Goku bit his lip as yet another grin crept across his face. When had Gohan become so insightful?? The Saiyan had always secretly resented Chichi for the childish way she treated him, but he never would have thought that Gohan had picked up on that. The kid had grown up so quickly. He'd have to remember to thank Piccolo later; he knew the Namek was at least partially responsible for his son's rapid maturity--

Gohan's poorly stifled laughter brought his attention back to his young son. "Hey, 'tousan, does that mean I have to call Vegeta Okaasan?"

The Saiyan no Ouji almost choked as the demi-brat's mocking words reached his sensitive Saiyan ears. Okaasan?? That was it--the boy was dead.

I don't care if he is Kakarott's son, I'll show him never to mock the Saiyan Prin--

Vegeta turned his head carefully, his black eyes lit with deadly fire, on the origin of the ridiculous sound that was assaulting his ears. His eyes widened at the unexpected sight, then narrowed as he realized that it was directed toward the prince.

The Namek was snickering.

Goku tactfully ignored Vegeta's indignant obscenities, sharing in his son's rich laughter. He had not realized that he had acquired so much tension over the matter and it felt wonderful to finally release it.

He looked down curiously as the demi-Saiyan cleared his throat, looking for all the world like a mirror image of his father--nervous and fumbling for words to tell him something.

Goku's brow knit in immediate concern.

"What is it, Gohan? Is something wrong?"

The small Son was at a dire loss for words. He knew his father would never have a problem with what he was about to say, he just really couldn't think of any decent way to do it. The boy licked his lips and looked up shyly at the larger Saiyan. A quirky smile found a place on his blushing face and before he could second-guess his resolve the words rushed out in an exasperated stream--

The Saiyan prince exchanged his indignant countenance for one of severe amusement. The Namek was a virtual pinwheel of colour, his stoic composure suffering in the face of his shock. Vegeta, however, was a firm believer in the beauty of revenge.

"I like Piccolo-san, 'tousan. Like you like Vegeta-san."

Piccolo's world fell straight out from under his pointed toes. Gohan lik--the boy had a...

Oh, shit.

The Namek strained for indifferent poise, ignoring the strange looks he was receiving from the other fighters. One of them may have said something, but the pounding in his ears easily drowned out all sound but the echo of his student's heartfelt declaration.

Gohan...

Piccolo ground his teeth in fury, dark eyes narrowed, as he turned deliberately to face the source of the impertinent laughter to his left.

Krillin watched in amazement as the tall green warrior suddenly stumbled, his expression like one who just got socked in the gut.

"Piccolo?"

The Namek didn't even acknowledge his concerned inquiry.

The small man stepped backward with a gasp as Piccolo rounded on the Saiyan prince. Why the hell was Vegeta laughing? Oh, Kami, he wasn't....

Yes, he was.

The prideful Saiyan was openly mocking the enraged Namek.

I'll fucking pound him into the ground.

"VEGETA!" The entire entourage that had congregated on Kami's lookout froze as Piccolo's wrath erupted. The usually taciturn Namek burned with the fire of his anger and humiliation. How dare he laugh...!

Piccolo quivered with rage as the insolent Saiyan cocked his head to one side, a shitty little smirk on his lips. He would never have believed Vegeta had the almost playful inclination to pitch his voice a little higher in an obvious mimic of Gohan, an almost innocently evil look plastered to his features.

"Yes, Piccolo-san?"

"Uh-oh, looks like we should be heading down, ne Gohan?" The smaller Son laughed as he turned to glance down at the white reflective surface of Lookout. His sharp eyes sought out the object of his investigation immediately. His statuesque mentor was staring down his father's most recent love interest in a way that was less than encouraging.

"I don't know about you, son, but I'd like Vegeta home in one piece tonight."

His wide eyes found the kind ones of his father as he took his place by his side. Goku's gaze flickered to set upon the small man dressed appropriately in red, currently dwarfed by the pissed off Namek. His eyes followed the path of his father's, and he studied Vegeta with blatant curiosity while the prince was graciously occupied.

The Saiyan no Ouji's stance bespoke of unfaltering confidence, his head raised high in a mark of self imposed superiority. It was amazing that the cold, callous man with the razor-edged tongue had captured his loving father's attention. More of an enigma was the questionable fact that it seemed to be returned.

He must really care about 'tousan. After the way he was beaten yesterday it's incredible that he's even speaking to him. Wow...'kaasan's gonna have a fit.

Goku didn't realize he was staring until Vegeta's onyx eyes raised to meet his own. His breath caught and he swore his heart stopped as his world was minimized to only what lay within those passionate depths.

Vegeta...He cursed softly as he recognized the familiar heat growing in his groin. Goku blinked, coming out of his dazed state as his son began to giggle. The boy only smiled at his inquisitive look and shook his head as they began their descent.

Piccolo was fuming and Vegeta was soaking it in. What had Kakarott expected him to do while the prince waited impatiently for them to end their sweet little father-son escapade? This, at least, was more entertaining than listening to Kakarott stutter an unneeded explanation to his boy. Besides, the fact that the demi-brat had the hots for the tall Namek was about as ironically amusing as his relationship with the larger Saiyan. On some strange level, he understood the other warrior's frustration. There was just something about those damn Sons...

The tall Saiyan landed beside the Saiyan no Ouji with an audible click on the polished tile. As Vegeta raised his eyes to the other man, he felt the heat in his cheeks do the same. His masculine scent was strong in the prince's nose and he didn't think to brush off the warm hand that rested easily on his bicep.

Gomen, Vegeta...I just needed to touch you...

The Saiyan prince swallowed thickly as the fingers were removed and forcibly resisted the yearning that rose in response. His eyes flashed menacingly, crossing his arms more tightly around himself, at the small group behind his mate. He would not be weak in front them.

Telling his father had brought his constant feelings for Piccolo bubbling to the surface. It was difficult not to do as his father and touch the object of his affection. He was just sure that the Namek would not understand. Even if he never got to feel him, at least he could always speak to the man.

"Hi, Piccolo-san--" His words were interrupted by the dark chuckle of his father's mate and the sound he had never heard before sent icy shivers down his spine. Even his father was staring at Vegeta, though Gohan did not mistake the annoyed glare given to the Saiyan no Ouji by his silent mentor.

"Piccolo-san?" The Namek's lips twitched-was he going to smile? What the hell was going on? Was it something he said?

"Yeah, kid?" The tall warrior seemed to shake off his taunt exterior and laid a firm hand on the shoulder of his pupil. Gohan fought hard against the tingling in his skin at the contact and tried to remain calm under the amused eye of his crush.

"You--" He choked on the stupid little word, blushed, and hastily tried a second time. "You were right, Piccolo-san. They weren't trying to kill each other." He and Piccolo shared a smile as the arrogant man suddenly become deathly silent.

"Yeah, I know, kid." Gohan grinned as he turned with his teacher to face the others, delighting in the warmth of the palm on his shoulder.

Kami, damn his pride. The prince lashed his tail from side to side in agitation, body excessively tight. Kakarott was still before him, watching him with those damn seductive eyes. What the fuck had happened to him over the last few days? It had taken Frieza years to make the Saiyan no Ouji lose control. And all it had taken that stupid baka was two days. Two Kami-damn days. Incredible. Unacceptable. Kakarott...

Neither Saiyan noticed the golden tension that formed between their taunt bodies, so enraptured with the other's dark, welcoming eyes.

"Goku?" Krillin's voice was shaky, at best. He knew better than to mess with a pissed off Saiyan, let alone two, very powerful ones. Strange, it didn't seem like a confrontational tension, but rather like they were...communicating?

His mouth dropped as he focused on one very interesting point that everyone had managed to somehow overlook.

Both full-blooded Saiyans had their tails. Vegeta's was slashing like a knife through the air and Goku's was...No shit.

The tail of his best friend was wrapped around the leather-clad thigh of the Saiyan prince.