Goku X Vegeta Oneshots

Monsters

*Yet another Majin Vegeta story cause why the heck not?*

Goku flinched back when the possessed Prince again randomly lashed out at him. "Hey, hey, calm down. You good?"

Vegeta stared at Goku emptily, then blinked and shook himself, mumbling under his breath, likely half remembered thoughts from days ago. Goku shook his head in depressed wonder and sighed.

Ever since Vegeta's possession four years before, when they destroyed Buu and chased off Babidi from Earth, the Prince hadn't recovered as they'd hoped. If anything, time only strengthened the blossoming insanity in Vegeta's mind.

"Kakarrot?"

Goku glanced up, surprised to hear Vegeta's speech so clearly. Normally his words were slurred and jumbled in with pieces of other thoughts. But Vegeta wasn't looking at him; he was staring at a spot on the doorframe for no apparent reason. "Um... yes, Vegeta?"

Vegeta's head snapped in his direction and he let out a half disgusted growl. "What?"

Goku blinked, frowning slightly. "You said my name."

Vegeta muttered under his breath, something about a lost ship, then twitched violently and shook himself. "Kakarrot?"

Goku sighed and glanced away. Vegeta was hardly on the same plane of thought as them anymore.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!" Vegeta snapped.

Goku looked at him, shocked. "Vegeta?"

Vegeta stared at Goku blankly, then visibly forced himself into focus. "Where is he?"

"Where is who?" Goku asked, leaning forward interestedly.

"Your father," Vegeta said, as if that was supposed to be obvious.

Goku frowned. "Huh? Vegeta, my dad's been dead for years. What are you-?"

"He was just here." Vegeta stood up and set his hand against the wall for support. Goku got up as well just in case Vegeta misbalanced or tried to attack something. "He... it... yesterd- saw." He was slipping again, then shook his head. "No, he was here. Yesterday."

Goku shook his head slowly and cautiously put his hands on Vegeta's shoulders; much to his surprise, Vegeta did not lash out. "You should sit down. Try to explain what you mean."

Vegeta half collapsed on the couch again, looking as baffled as Goku felt. "I... Wall. No. Um." He shivered slightly. "Morning? You're cold. That's too bright..."

Goku knew he wasn't going to get any more sensible thought out of him. "Lay down, Vegeta. Try to sleep."

"Bardock," Vegeta blurted. "Bardock."

What was with the obsession over his father? Goku knelt down in front of Vegeta. "Vegeta? What about my dad? Can you hear me?"

Vegeta rubbed his face, flinching when he touched his mark. "He... Bardock... yesterday. Morning. Cold. Bright. Here," he added with emphasis. He got up again and started for the door.

Outside? Not a great idea. Last time Vegeta went outside, Goku had to stop a forest fire.

Goku gently pulled him to a stop. "Ah ah ah! Calm down. I know it's hard, but ya gotta talk to me if you can. Ok?"

Vegeta looked at the door again, then shook his head as if answering a silent question. "Bardock... Oh, you're dead. No." He frowned. "But... it's- awake- turning- stop-" Vegeta shook himself violently and rubbed at his forehead again.

Goku just let him be. There was nothing logical in the mess of words that was pouring out of Vegeta's mouth and he didn't think there would be anytime soon. He carefully picked up Vegeta, who immediately went limp in his arms, still mumbling broken thoughts. "Here I thought you couldn't be any more of a mess..."

He took Vegeta to his room and laid him down on the bed. "You really need sleep, buddy. That's gotta be part of your problem. You're off your rocker cause ya haven't slept in... four years. Not much anyway. Just enough to keep ya alive." He sat down beside Vegeta, who was not asleep but was quietly resting. "I'll have Bulma bring some medicine tomorrow, or maybe this evening. Can't believe we gotta get you drugged up to get you to sleep. Can't you just sleep like you used to?"

Vegeta simply looked at Goku with those empty eyes. It was heartbreaking. Then the clarity returned and he tried to sit up. "Kakarrot, it hurts," he gasped, holding his head tightly. "I'm- He's- it hurts-"

Goku couldn't react for a moment, then took Vegeta's head in his hands gently. "Hey, hey, shh. It's ok, Vegeta, breathe." What was happening? He almost preferred the constant delirium over this switch between sanity and madness. Eventually Vegeta fell quiet again, panting. Goku let himself drift into thought for a few moments. "Vegeta?" he asked softly. "Where did you see my dad?"

Vegeta looked up shakily. His eyes, dull but strangely clear, managed to focus on Goku's face. "Outside," he whispered, then nodded to himself. "He... looking for you. And me, I think."

Goku had frozen. Vegeta's speech was clear, not slurred like normal.

Vegeta went on. "But... he's only going to find you. Because I'm dead. Right? Aren't I dead now?"

"No, no, no!" Goku said, holding Vegeta closer. "No, Vegeta, no. You're not dead, I promise! You're just really tired." Unbelievably tired... "Look. You're still breathing, yeah? Your heart's still beating. You're alive. I promise." This... was terrifying.

Not as terrifying as when Vegeta shook his head. "No, 'm not." The clarity of his words began to fade again. "No, I've been... I died a long time ago. This isn't m- me. 'm somebody else. It's in my body. My body's alive. I think. But I'm dead."

This was really starting to freak Goku out. "Listen to me," he said. "You are very much alive. It's ok. Please calm down." He hugged Vegeta and held him still. "Please don't..." What was going on in Vegeta's shattered mind that made him think he was dead?