Disclaimer: Dragon Ball is Toriyama's masterpiece.

| MIRROR |

…

"What would I be, living without him here?"

(Mark Schultz, He's My Son)

…

It did not happened the first time they saw each other at the Tournament, a moment he will never forget because of its brightness, but now, every time that he looks into his younger son's eyes Goku can see himself reflected on them: it's clear like a mirror and just as moving to his heart. But it goes further than that, really: he sees himself, but it's someone else whom he finds.

Just by looking, an impossible-to-calculate torrent of thoughts develops in his head, similar to raindrops falling from the sky.

Sometimes Goku feels utterly surprised at the nature of his fatherly feelings for Goten; its intensity being something he didn't expected. He has always being a kind of… odd parent: he's not that naïve to not be aware of it. Besides those feelings (the love) are different from the ones Gohan makes born in him and he doesn't finds an answer to it.

Goku didn't understand how natural this was: the love that we feel for every being that means something to us it will never be the same.

Love has infinite shades.

Just the mere fact of Goten, smiling brightly to him every morning, has taught him an amount of things that are as numerous as the stars in the sky: that returning home, to the sanctuary of his family, can be as thrilling as fighting. That you must embrace innocence with the arms of your heart and never let it go. That magic and love are real and colorful. And that giving up it's not an option if there's something to protect.

Just stand on your feet: fight back all the times that are needed.

Because the most unexpected things can also be the sweetest-tasting, full filing your life completely.

He smiles to himself: there's peace and happiness beating in his heart.

He's a lucky man.

A little tug (made by a lovely little hand) on his orange dougi pants' brings him back to reality and out of an ocean of thoughts:

"Dad!" Goku lowers his head, looks into Goten's eyes; it happens again, yes.

There are no thoughts nor words, not even breathing, in front of those eyes of dark-night pureness: to exist in front of them feels dull, not enough, a not-deserved thing.

Goten has the vastness of galaxies even when he's so little and young.

After all the years he went through without knowing that Goten existed at all Goku can feel a slight splinter in his chest that resembles guilt, even though he's a peace with himself, with the decisions made in the past and the fact that he had no other choice.

However, if he had just took a look to what was happening back in Earth…

But Goten smiles to him in such a sweet, angelical way and everything about him irradiates light.

In the corners of his mouth Goku sees no reproaches for all the years his father was not there…

There's only love.

His younger son's eyes: a mirror, a piece of crystal that shows a person, one that Goku's not nor he could ever be.

Yes, Goten is pretty much his reflection when he was just a little kid with a tail, searching for the Dragon Balls all around the world, but things stop right there.

Physical features lack any meaning: the truth lies in the heart.

The soul is trapped behind the crystal that eyes are: and Goten's shines brighter than any other.

More than Goku's does.

Even when he's not match for Goten's perfection Goku is more than thankful of being his father: he holds this in his warrior hands and will make sure of taking care of it. Nothing is ever going to harm Goten.

"Dad, guess what!" Even his voice is velvet against skin. Goten is noticeably cheerful and his eyes are basically sparkling and when he outstretches his arms, Goku laughs, because that's Goten's way of saying he wants to be hold like an infant. And Goku obeys. Goten is almost thirteen but as sweet as he was when he first met him. "Teacher said to me today that I'm getting better at math! We had a test today and I didn't need any Trunks' help." A father-to-a-son smile. How charming he was… "Mom's very happy; she said we'll have my favorite dessert tonight."

Goku laughs proudly without taking his eyes away from Goten's: a little face lights up a reddish tone of pure joy and an adult heart adores it.

The love between them is almost palpable.

Goku is very aware of what beats in Goten's eyes when the child looks at him: they crave, they admire, they are proud.

They love in the way just an angel would: he has died more than once, but Goten is the one who leaves feathers behind wherever he goes, but Goten is the one who shines because of a halo.

And Goku will do any, every, all the things he can do to make him proud, laugh, be happy and more.

He would protect Goten even if it meant falling drop dead to the ground a thousand times in a never-ending cycle.

He's the father of a being of divinity, after all.

Again, Goku smiles: he puts a hand on top of Goten's head. Yet again, he reflects deeply in his mind.

Sweet, kind and all sort of wonderful things: that's what Goten is.

Happy, free and live surrounded by peace: that's what Goten must be.

As a father, this is a silent oath to himself.

"That's great, son. I'm proud of you."

And oh so much more…

xXx

Hello! This was just a little translation exercise; I try to improve my English in every way that I can. This, translating my own stories, is by far my favorite one. If you have any observations or comments about the way I wrote this, please feel free to say them to me!

Thank you for your time, have a nice day/night!