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“Can you train me?” An annoying little voice disturbed Vegeta from his breakfast. He looked over at where Goten was leaning on the edge of the table with a pleading look on his young face. “Please? Trunks said you were training him and I don’t wanna be left behind.” The six year old had a childish pout that made his eyes look bigger than they should have been. He didn’t have any interest in training the whiny brat of his rival. “Please, Uncle Vegeta?”
Uncle? The term had him blanking. A quick glance at Bulma let him know that she had heard it too, and that he wasn’t hearing things. She was doing her best to hide a grin behind a piece of toast. He wasn’t anyone’s uncle.
“C’mon, Dad!” Trunks planted his hands on the table and pushed himself up in an attempt to look taller. “Please? I need a good sparring partner.”
“Mom stopped training me,” Goten carried on with his pout. “And Gohan is too busy with school.”
“It keeps them out of trouble,” Bulma put in her own opinion with a grin.
He wanted to do nothing more than deny them all but all of this time on Earth had softened him. That and he knew Bulma would get on his case if he didn’t agree. Really, his time was better spent training for himself but, fine, he would spare his precious time to teach another foolish boy. Better he learn from someone that knew what they were doing instead of his mother or brother, who didn’t know a damn thing.
The boys were exhausted and splayed out on the floor on the Gravity Chamber, faces pressed to the cool metal and not a single limb touching. Vegeta stared at them for a moment before going back to his push-ups. Honestly, those two were easily tired out. He had expected more complaining out of them but another glance over let him know that they were sleeping. For Kami’s sake. It was going to be a nightmare to teach them anything if they napped after only a couple hours.
For the entire summer Vegeta was stuck with the boys for at least half of each day, training them to the point that they slept for a couple hours afterwards. He didn’t care what they did after so long as they didn’t bother him. At the very least they were improving, so it was clear all of this time spent on them wasn’t a waste. It still annoyed him on occasion that he was training them instead of improving himself but he was discovering that he didn’t mind all that much. He had never minded training Trunks, seeing as the boy was his son, but it had been a leap to categorize Goten as something other than a burden. Still, the boy had managed to keep up so it seemed logical to let go of the reservations.
“C’mon, Uncle Vegeta!” Goten grabbed his wrist and tried to pull him out of the Gravity Chamber. “It’s my birthday and Aunt Bulma promised ice cream cake.”
“Yeah, c’mon, Dad!” Trunks took up the other side in a combined attempt to make him leave. “You can train after. Mom even said something about fireworks.” Both boys pulled harder but he didn’t budge from his place.
“So go,” Vegeta shook off the boys, “I’m not stopping you.” He didn’t see a point in birthday parties or any party really.
“Ugh, come on!” Both boys stomped their feet in unison and crossed their arms. The pouty display did nothing to change his mind and they knew that. He narrowed his eyes at them when they shared a look and downright devious grins; that spelt only bad news.
But what he had expected wasn’t for both of them to burst into yellow energy. The shock of seeing the boys hit Super Saiyan made it far too easy for them to pull him forward a few steps towards the door. It took him years upon years of training to reach that point and these two little kids were already there. Once the shock wore away he was left with a sting to his Saiyan pride but an even bigger part of him was actually impressed and…proud. Those little snots had actually done it.
“When did you figure this out?” He asked while letting the boys pull him out of the Gravity Chamber.
“Few months ago,” Trunks said with a bright grin. “I showed Goten.”
“It’s why Mom stopped training me.” Goten had a similar grin and excited bounce to his step. “I’m too strong for her.” The proud beam came with a peek of a missing tooth in the boy’s perfect line up. It had been knocked loose less than a week ago.
“It’s…good.” Vegeta knew he was awful at giving compliments or saying anything heartfelt, and that was the best he could do at the moment.
Not that it bothered the boys any. They dragged him out of the Gravity Chamber and he decided to let them without much fight. It wasn’t like it would hurt to relax for a single night. And, it would get him on Bulma’s good side and that was the real motivator.
The entire ‘party’ was not something Vegeta actually participated in but he hovered nearby in sight to avoid either of the boys going off in search of him. It was more Goten and Trunks making a mess of the front yard while dragging their mothers into the childish games. Gohan and Piccolo were pulled in eventually and so was Krillin. He found it to be a touch too loud and chaotic in an unpleasant way but he didn’t leave to train like he knew everyone was expecting. A fact that rewarded him a kiss from his wife and the twin toothy grins of the boys.
When the night finally wore down to the point of the party dissipating, Vegeta had plans to simply head to bed and get an early start on training the next morning. That didn’t even come close to happening as Trunks and Goten managed to convince their mothers to stay out for another couple hours; with the promise of Goten staying the night. Bulma had given him a look that left no room for arguing as she went into the house. It seemed he was stuck making sure the boys didn’t get into too much trouble and made it inside at a reasonable time. Which was not something he was a very good judge at.
With a heavy sigh, he sat on the grass at the edge of the yard to keep a close eye on the boys and make sure they knew he was there. It didn’t deter them from what they were doing. Glowing insects were floating about and had the boys chasing them with the intent to catch them. Vegeta watched them for a minute or two before deciding to meditate for a while as they wore themselves out doing what they wanted.
The tickling sensation of something on his nose had his eyes opening. It took a moment for him to focus on the glowing bug, its greenish-yellow light a touch uncomfortable to stare at so close. With an annoyed breath, he waved the tiny insect away. Only to find the boys holding their cupped hands out to him with bright, mischievous smiles. In between their fingers came the unmistakable glow of the bugs. There was a warning on his tongue that never got the chance to reach the air as the boys opened their hands. Several of the glowing bugs fluttered out to fill the small space. He waved them away from his face with a scowl and gave the boys an unamused look when they scraped the last remaining bugs off onto him.
“You’re always so grumpy,” Trunks complained as he flopped down on the grass next to him. “We thought this would help you brighten up.”
“It’s also funny,” Goten added while dropping down on his other side.
“It was annoying.” Vegeta shooed away the last of the lingering bugs with a frown. He didn’t exactly like bugs. “You shouldn’t touch them.”
“Why?” Both boys asked, looking at him.
He didn’t actually have a proper answer beyond the fact that he didn’t like having them brought to him. Instead of answering, he relaxed and fell back on the grass with his arms behind his head. There was a gesture made for the boys to do the same. It had been years since he went star-gazing - last time having been with Raditz - but he still knew enough about constellations and star-charts to teach the boys something.
“See that gap in the stars up there,” he pointed towards an area near the North Star, “by the brightest star in the sky?”
“Yeah?” Trunks tilted his head and bumped against Vegeta’s shoulder.
“That’s where Planet Vegeta used to be.”
“There’s a planet named after you?” Goten asked, curiosity and awe in his voice.
“After my grandfather,” Vegeta explained, “Saiyans conquered it after a civil war destroyed Sadala.” He knew both boys were looking at him but he directed their attention back to the stars. “I’m not sure if you could have ever seen it from here but my father used to point it out in the sky to me. There used to be talk of going back to our home planet.”
“We could go,” Trunks said with a yawn, turning to rest his head on Vegeta’s shoulder. “Mom can make a spaceship and we could all go.”
“Mhm, I can bring my mom and Gohan,” Goten added.
Vegeta didn’t look away from the stars but dropped his arms around the boys. “Neither of your mothers would allow that,” he said, earning sleepy laughs from both of them, “and I’d like to keep my manhood, so don’t go mentioning that idea.” There were two mumbled agreements as the boys started to fall asleep. “Let’s leave the past where it belongs, just old stories.” He knew the moment Trunks and Goten fell asleep but didn’t make a move to get up or wake them to go inside.
“They’re just old bedtime stories now.” He sighed and found the empty space that his home world used to inhabit. As much as he loathed slowing down, he knew that things were different now and he couldn’t carry on like he always had. He wasn’t going to stop training despite the relative peace around him but letting the past stay in the past was likely the best course of action. There was more that required his full attention than old wounds. Raditz, Nappa, Planet Vegeta, and his people were nothing more than memories now and he needed to let them go. The here and now with Bulma and Trunks was what’s important. With his wife and son and, yes, the little brat of his rival’s that called him his uncle.