Hey everyone! It's been a very long time since I've uploaded a story on here. I'm so inspired with this plotline, I even had a rather interesting dream about it..I hope you enjoy! This story takes place after Evil Kid Buu has finally been destroyed with the help of the Z fighters and Earth. However, there is a change I'm making: Neither Fat Buu nor Uub are alive. I am not interested in pursuing those story lines, nor GT.

Be aware... this is YAOI! Aka a romance about two MEN. Don't like? Don't read! ;)

Rating: M, (16+) for violence, mature themes, language, and sexual situations(nothing very graphic). Just bein' safe. I WILL be writing full lemon versions of certain chapters, but I can't upload them here. Let me know if you are interested in reading those versions, and I will upload to adultfanfiction.

Disclaimer: Neither DBZ nor it's characters are mine. Alas, it is not to be.

Prologue

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"Wellll, I guess we make a pretty good team after all."

Carefully landing on the ground next to the fallen, nearly broken Vegeta, I gave him a thumbs up and grin. He lifted his head enough to smirk at me and return the thumbs-up. The long, painful, and sometimes exhilarating series of fights with Majin Buu had weakened and nearly destroyed us and our loved ones, but it was over. It was a fantastic feeling! My heart nearly burst with joy that day, as I laughed with my prince.

I think that was where it began, for me.

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It's been nearly two years since Buu was destroyed for good. In that time, not much has really changed, other than Gohan moving into an apartment with Videl. I don't get to see either of them very often anymore, because they are incredibly busy with college, as well as their superhero lives. They happily dress up as Saiyaman and Saiyagirl whenever there's a new thief, rapist, murderer, or other unsavory person on the loose. Goten and Trunks are just as inseparable as they were two years ago, if not more so! They spar all the time, and are constantly trying to one-up the other in the most creative ways that only boys can come up with. They always have sleepovers and fun adventures. It's really cute, actually! It often makes me wish I had a best friend of equal level while I was growing up... Although I have nothing to complain about! What a great life I've lived so far.

Still- At least I have Vegeta now. I guess he's my best friend these days! Life is good...albeit a little boring! I want a new challenge. We train together nearly every day, and we're really close in power when we're Ascended Super Saiyans. He hasn't reached Super Saiyan 3 yet, though. I know he'll get there soon; I can feel his power increasing almost every day. It just drives me to push myself even harder! Can't get soft now, heh.

Oh, prideful Vegeta. Just thinking of him makes me smile. He's become a really important person to me, and I'm happy we train together so much. Sometimes, though, I feel awfully weird around him... If I didn't know better, I would think I had a little crush! On my prince, no less!

Like just the other day when we were sparring in a field about 50 miles from my home... As always, we were at a very close proximity, and suddenly, in the middle of my landing a punch directly on his solar plexus, he breathed heavily into my face and keeled over for a moment. His breath smelled fresh- like cool mint and something else I couldn't place- and suddenly my heart skipped a beat, my knees completely buckled and I flopped onto the ground in front of him. I was baffled, but Vegeta immediately took it as an insult, recovering with super saiyan speed and growling at me.

"Quit fooling around, Kakkarot!" He barked in fury. "I didn't land a particularly decent punch or kick that round and you know it! Get the fuck up and FIGHT me like a true saiyan-I don't need your pity!" He stood over me and clenched his fists, looking seriously peeved. He always hated it when I didn't fight him with all of my strength.

I stood up gingerly, testing my legs. They were still wobbly, and I felt hot all over. "What the hell?" I voiced. My legs weren't actually hurting, though. They were just...unsteady. Why? I looked down at them in confusion, and over to Vegeta, who had crossed his tight, bulging, muscular arms and was waiting for me to explain myself or get back to fighting. And-What? Since when had I noticed his arms? "Erm.. Vegeta, I don't know what happened," I said honestly, putting an arm behind my head and giggling nervously. This was just too weird. Maybe he'd ignore it and get back to fighting right away..

..No such luck. This was Vegeta after all; he didn't exactly know when to let go.

Vegeta scowled at me, seething with anger. "You fell, idiot. Quite deliberately, I might add!" His dark eyes were angrily boring into mine. He did not appreciate jokes, or pity... Not that this was anything of the sort. Hmmmm.....

I hung my head, still very distracted and weirded out by what had just happened. "Uhh... It was sooo not deliberate, 'Geta! I wouldn't do that to you, honest! My knees just..." My face felt hot as I got a sudden disturbing image of Vegeta wearing nothing but a smirk..and beckoning me. Ohhh boy...Not good!

His eyes did not leave mine, and his scowl deepened. "Your knees just...?" He repeatedly pointedly, bringing me back to the field where we were sparring.

"Err, buckled, I think." I said quietly. Suddenly I wanted nothing more than to get out of there, so I made up a lie as fast as I could, trying to push Vegeta's naked body out of my mind. "I, err, have been under lots n' lots of stress lately."

He seemed to ponder that for a moment. "Stress? What sort of stress would bother YOU, Kakkarot? ...Is that no-good harpy of yours getting after you?"

I nodded immediately, although I didn't think of Chichi as a no-good harpy.. She did her best. It was true that she had gotten very demanding, angry, and maybe even bitter towards me since Gohan had moved out, and she was also extremely overprotective of Goten, which was a little aggravating at times. After all, nothing in this world could hurt him, and he always had Trunks with him. I wasn't worried. So... Okay, she had problems letting go.. but mothers do. It was just a natural thing that she had to work through. On the other hand, I guess it was causing problems in our marriage. Lots of problems, really. We had had several large arguments lately. I didn't even sleep in the same bed as her that often anymore-I preferred to sleep out in the forest. "Yeah... Since Gohan's been gone, she's been, err, difficult," I stammered to Vegeta, realizing that I had, indeed, been stressing a little. More than a little. It wasn't a lie after all... It was just something I didn't like to dwell upon. And now I was being forced to think about it. Agh... Chichi.

He paused for a moment, still staring at me in that penetrating, peculiar way he had, and nodded. "Yes, I can see that. Trunks told me a little bit about it. He doesn't like to sleep over there anymore." He took a moment to glance at me sideways, and seemed to debate whether to continue this conversation or not. He wasn't much for talking, which i knew very well. I didn't really to care to continue, anyway. I didn't say anything, but curiosity got the best of him. "How bad is it?" He meant the arguments... and the marriage itself, probably. I wondered how much Trunks had told him... Probably a lot. We should have hid our arguments.

"It's... manageable. I guess." I answered, scratching my head. He didn't look like he believed me, and I didn't blame him. "Err...Well.. I don't really know what's going to happen..." I added, feeling overwhelmed with all these strange emotions. I guess I wasn't used to thinking too hard about anything other than battle strategies and training. Chichi... I didn't understand her. And just what was Vegeta's naked body doing in my head? This was definitely not normal.

His eyebrows raised. "Meaning?"

"Meaning... I don't know... Erm, it's kinda awkward, y'know?" This was going nowhere, and I wished I hadn't brought it up. I definitely didn't know what to do about Chichi. I didn't even know if we were going to stay together... Now that I was thinking about it, she seemed unhappy ALL the time. "Chichi doesn't like me to spend so much time training..." I trailed off.

He lips formed a smirk, and my heart skipped again, much to my confusion. "Training with me, you mean."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Truly ridiculous woman." He scoffed. "She acts like being prepared for the future is a waste of time. I don't know what you see in her. You'd do much better with another mate."

I didn't know how to respond to that. Chichi was a good woman, but it was true that she didn't understand me very well sometimes. Still! How dare he suggest I find another mate?! Before I could come up with a reply, I felt the unmistakable kis of Trunks and Goten approaching from the east. They landed beside us, and my 9 year old son Goten ran to give me a hug.

"Heyy there, buddy," I smiled down on him fondly. "What's up?"

"Hey, Dad! Mom wants you home." He gave me a grin, but it looked totally worried me. I looked over at Trunks, who crossed his arms in much the same manner as his dad, and was looking at me solemnly.

"Do you know why?" I asked my son, who shrugged and continued to hide the fact that he was upset. "Hmmm..sure, no prob! I'll leave right now." I said reassuringly, but not knowing what I was supposed to be reassuring him of. Clearly Chichi was upset about something... "Oh!" I said out loud. "I was supposed to bring back some firewood and boar meat from the forest earlier. Oops! Haha! Uh, she can't be THAT mad, right?" I said with a little laugh. Forgotten chores wasn't such a big deal.

Goten and Trunks looked at each other, and then back at me. Vegeta didn't say a word, seemingly oblivious and staring off into the sky, which was turning pink as the sun began to set. I knew perfectly well that he was paying attention, though. Well, the only way to figure it out was to go home and face the storm. I sighed. "Okay, bye boys.. Sleep over at Capsule Corp tonight, okay? Bye, 'Geta!"

The boys waved at me, and Vegeta gave me the smallest of nods. He was clearly irritated that our spar was left unfinished. But what could I do? I had chores to do, and then Chichi to face. Urgh... what was she going to do to me?

After I quickly chopped up some firewood and killed a large boar, I flew home, feeling apprehensive.

I arrived at home just in time to see a purple-clad, beet-red Chichi storm out of the house, hands on hips and looking ready to rumble. "WHERE have you been?!" She shrieked at me, her eyes glittering with rage and something else... Pain? Hurt?

"Catching a boar, chopping firewood..." I said feebly, pointing at the food and firewood and feeling bad. I hadn't meant to make her so angry. But it wasn't that big a deal... I sighed. I really wished Chichi could be more lenient sometimes. And I missed her being sweet... she was never sweet to me anymore.

"..And?" She challenged. "You've been gone ALL DAY, Goku."

I dropped my eyes. "...And sparring with Vegeta."

"AHA!" She yelled, victory clear in her eyes. "SPARRING! While I was cleaning the house and taking care of our SON, you know, the one you fathered, remember him?! Ring any bells in that STUPID head of yours?! While I was doing EVERYTHING around here, cleaning, making a nice home for us to live in, you were out SPARRING!" She enunciated every other word like a dagger. I gulped. "AND With that damn monster!" She glared at me for a few seconds, while I searched for something to say, finding nothing. I had messed things up again.... Really badly this time. Finally, she stomped back inside, leaving me to bring in the meat.

I followed, not sure what to do. She had always been emotional, but she had never held grudges longer than an hour or two back in the old days. Ever since Buu, though, she would shut herself off from me whenever we fought. It made it harder and harder to come home.. I didn't want to fight with her. Why couldn't she just accept me for the way I was? I tried to help, really I did... And I gave her all the money I made from tournaments and stuff...Nothing I did was good enough. "Chi... It's true that I forget to do things, or am a little late getting them done, and I am truly sorry... but I did save the world, after all. More than once." She spun around to glare at me, and I shrunk back. "I mean, THAT'S my real job, you know. I take care of Goten, and you, not that you need it, but I have to keep up my strength so that I can be prepared for anything... And Vegeta's the perfect partner.... And you know he's not evil anymore. After all, didn't Shenron bring him back to life along with everyone else? That means something. You have to admit that."

She had an answer ready, and she spat it out venomously. "All it proves is that he was good for a moment! He helped that one time!! It does NOT prove that he's a good man now! Have you forgotten all of the harm he caused, all the people he killed in that World Tournament?"

"Those people were brought back to life! And HE made the wish that made that all possible! How can you even say that about him?" I defended my friend, needing desperately for her to understand. I don't know why I needed her to know that, but I did. I wanted her to respect Vegeta, just like I had come to respect the prideful prince. Ohh, but is it only respect you're feeling? A little voice inside me asked. You just imagined him the perfect prince naked in front of you..I squashed the unwelcome voice promptly, my heart hammering. I did NOT need to think about that right now. "He's a good man, well, an okay one at least.."

"OH FINE, whatever!" She snapped. "You know, I don't even care anymore. And obviously you don't, either." She started to storm away once more, but then she turned to gaze meaningfully and deliberately in my eyes. "Goku, you're never here. You make it quite obvious that you do not want to be here. So I have to ask.. Do you WANT to make this marriage work or not? Because something has to change, and fast. This is not working... for any of us."

There. She'd asked the big question, and it both stung and terrified me.

I stood silently, thinking of her. She'd had plenty of good traits, once upon a time. But... all I saw anymore was her constant nagging and negativity. When I was around, nothing I did ever pleased her. Quite honestly, it was a lot for me to handle, and nothing I understood. Why live life like that, looking for the bad in everything? I preferred to be happy, and live my life to the very fullest. This was precisely why I ran away from our problems, and chose not to think about it. How selfish of me, I suddenly realized. This was Chichi... My Chichi. We had raised two sons together, and had once upon a time shared many happy memories. "Do YOU want to be married to me?" I asked softly, taking her delicate little hand and pulling it to me face, kissing it. She tried to smile and we stared at each other. Finally, she leaned in for a kiss. It was at that moment I realized with a pang that I was no longer sexually attracted to her... And I definitely didn't want to kiss her romantically. Instead of her, I was picturing the saiyan prince there in front of me. Widening my eyes, I stepped backwards, and Vegeta's face became hers once more. And she looked both peeved and hurt. Oh no...

Her eyes filled with tears, and that made mine water too. "NO!" She wailed. "I see clearly now! Goku, you big, stupid oaf, you don't love me anymore! You don't want me! Ever since you became friends with that prince, and started sparring with him, it's like he means more to you than me, your own WIFE!"

I took a step back myself in astonishment and horror. Did she really think that about me? I loved her, of course I did. But... Fuck, I am no longer IN love with her! When had this happened, and how? When I was running away from our problems? Of course, and in doing so, I had messed everything up. How long had I been running? Ever since I came back to life after Buu... For two years we'd been arguing. No, I'd been running away ever since we first got married. For around twenty long years I'd avoided these kinds of thoughts, instead filling my mind with thoughts of saving earth. Could it really have been that long? I despised myself in that moment. Oh, how I'd hurt her. She'd hurt me, but I hurt her so much more. I was supposed to protect her, not destroy her.

I had screwed everything up!

I wailed into the coming night, my ki rising around me in my anguish. "Oh, Chi... I don't want to hurt you." I cried, tears streaming down my face. "It is the last thing I would ever, ever want..." I pulled her into my arms, pushing the Saiyan prince firmly from my mind. "I'm so...sorry..."

We cried into each other's arms.

Woo-ee! What a start. *wipes forehead* Let me know what you think. Is it time for Goku and Chichi to let go of their marriage? I know it's sad, but.. I didn't want to write a typical story where Chichi dies, or is totally heartless to him. She has feelings too...She's just upset by Goku's selfishness over the years, and lack of responsibility! Poor Goku & Chichi; they never truly fit together, in my mind. They never understood each other. You know you want Vegeta to heal Goku's broken heart ;) At least, I do! But what will happen to Chichi? She needs lovin', too! I will be updating this fic once a week, or more, as long as my schedule allows!

I seek to improve as a writer. Constructive critism IS always appreciated. I wrote this chapter rather quickly, and wanted to get it online as fast as possible. The next one will no doubt be better.