Thinking of You

Part 29

Shin looked between them, breathing heavily.

How did Shin find out? Goku thought, feeling a sudden feeling of panic overwhelm him. Did he spy on us? Is he that bored in the Sacred World of the Kais?  Without really thinking, due to his panic, Goku blurted the first thing that came to his head. "We're not dating!"

"Oh, don't you lie to me! I saw you two! I know everything! You two can't possibly fight properly now! You screwed everything up!" Shin hollered, throwing his hands in the air.

Vegeta had no words to defend himself or Goku, so he remained silent. His entire body had gone rigid, either from the sudden surge of fear coursing through him, or the strong urge to fly off and never return. He hadn't spoken to the Kai's in months, years, even, so his mind rambled around trying to figure out how Shin new about them. It was possible, though unlikely, that Whis had talked to them. But there was also the possibility that they had used their little ball to see what the two were doing, primarily to either make sure they were training or just to see what they were busy with. The idea that the Kai's had been watching them without them knowing was majorly unsettling, making Vegeta's face flush a bright red.

If they were watching us, did they see us...have sex? Vegeta thought, quickly casting a glance at Goku before redirecting his gaze elsewhere. Have they no manners?

"How long were you watching us?" Goku asked, as if reading Vegeta's thoughts. "And why?"

"I don't need to explain myself to you!" Shin shouted. "What matters most is that you two have put yourselves in danger. How can you expect to focus on a battle when the one you love is in danger?"

Goku wanted to argue, but Shin had made a valid point. Vegeta had brought it up many times, and now it seemed like it was time to take it seriously. The Tournament was due to start in just an hour, and it was far too late to turn back or tell Zeno they didn't want to join. Goku wasn't a quitter, so backing out of the Tournament was the farthest thing from his mind. But he knew that Vegeta's and Shin's concerns were reasonable, given the state of their relationship. Anyone would have a hard time focusing when their lover was just a few feet away, fighting, quite literally, for their life. As much as Goku desperately wanted to say that he'd remain in the zone and everything would be alright, he felt deep down that that wasn't true. Over the course of a mere two days, Vegeta had become his everything, and he knew that if anything were to happen to him, he'd probably go berserk like Broly.

Maybe even worse.

Vegeta wouldn't admit it to himself, Goku knew. But throughout the week, with all the charm and romance and sweet nothings, they had fallen hopelessly in love for each other. Vegeta's pride blocked him from admitting to such things, but Goku knew it to be the truth with every fiber of his being. It was a tough pill to swallow. So much to take in, to let reality crash into you. He loved Vegeta, and he repeated this over and over in his mind as if that would make it tangible. There was so much he wanted to say to him, but of course he held his tongue. With Shin losing his mind and Vegeta too stiff to even form a sentence, it was certainly not the time to serenade anyone.

Shin broke his silence by exhaling slowly, resting his fingers against his temples. "Okay, okay, calm down...this will all be fine."

"You won't...tell anyone, right?" Goku asked, his face losing all its wide-eyes innocence and showing pure worry and concern.

Shin sighed, slouching forward. "This is too much. I always assumed you hated each other, and right when we needed that hatred, its practically disappeared."

Vegeta wanted to blame Goku at that point, but he wisely opted against it.

"Okay, I have a plan." Shin said, stepping forward to form a sloppy huddle between the three. "Vegeta, you act sick and say that you can't participate. Goku will stay and fight with the other members of Team Universe 7, and all will be splendor, got it?"