Inali

Chapter 11

It wasn't just another planet, Vegeta felt like he had fallen into another reality.

Forests, crystal clear water, wild animals, lights and colors everywhere... for Vegeta who only knew the cold walls of spaceships and infinite dots on an infinite black background it was destabilizing.

His skin was itching and he wanted to go away. It was like the calm before the final battle attack. Quiet meant that things were only about to get worse, but how?

Kakarot had a great intuition for these things and he was calm and smiling, walking next to him and introducing him to the places he had been when he was a child, the workouts with his grandfather and the awkward things he had done.

Goku kept repeating that they were such stupid things and that he didn't understand as a child and that sometimes he struggled even now, Vegeta found him adorable.

He had seen this Saiyan fight like a fury, spare his opponents, throw his head high even against Frieza. He had seen him lying on a table taken by so many men... and one of those times he had organized it all.

And now, surrounded by nature, as he tried to approach a curious little animal with a swollen tail... Vegeta was still in shock: was Kakarot real?

Kakarot was rare, precious... there could be no one else like him. And Vegeta had always been greedy, arrogant... wanting only the best and perfect things.

The creature before him was powerful, very powerful. And beautiful.

He still remembered the first time their eyes had met, in the Captain's tent: Kakarot was naked, sweaty and dirty, smiling at him and spreading his legs inviting him with those eyes of stars to enter. The power that he released even in those conditions... Vegeta had run away, because he had recognized a greater force but did not know how to name it. And he had felt outraged, humiliated... from that moment a dance had begun that was still in progress, and Vegeta would make sure he continued to hold on to this very special Saiyan.

The little animal was in Kakarot's big hands and emitting small sounds that made Goku laugh.

"When he was little I tried to talk to them..."

He tried to make those sounds too. The pet put his ears back and tilted his head, shaking on the spot as if he were excited.

"Oh spirits, am I so awful?" Goku laughed. "Sorry, little friend. My pronunciation must be awful."

The little animal climbed on one arm, reaching the shoulder. Goku raised his head from where he was sitting, Vegeta was standing under a tree with his arms crossed.

"Vegeta, you can get close."

"I don't think I'm likeable to that little mo--."

"Vegeta..."

"To your little furry friend."

"You stepped on his tail..."

"And he made me trip! We are even and he should thank that he is still alive!" growled the Prince.

"Jalin..." Goku peeped, widening his eyes.

"No."

"Please?"

Damn Kakarot, his scent and innocent, bright eyes. Vegeta snorted pretending to be very annoyed and walked over. The little animal made unhappy sounds and Goku's finger stroked a spot behind his ears that must have been very good, since now the pet no longer seemed so offended.

Even Vegeta's presence didn't seem to bother him and Vegeta himself felt less agitated. This was one of Kakarot's many powers... a Saiyan so different from the one Vegeta knew, and from everything he knew.