Saiyan Grandpa

surprise fist to her face

“What the fuck old man?!”

U g h

He flinched slightly at the head pat, clearly unsure if this was simply a gesture of affection or the precursor to being hit. It happened more often than not, under the guise of trying to toughen him up. He needed to stop being such a baby, stop flinching at everything–

“King Vegeta says I have to watch my words or I’ll lose my tongue.”

Goten glanced up after a moment, a bit surprised that his grandfather was actually still there and not hitting him. “King Vegeta also said you were dead.”

  Bardock found himself growing angry at the words his grandson said. It was no surprise that the elite level Saiyans would be wary of evolving past old ways. Low class warriors were more than accepting of the suggestions of compassion and helping each other Bardock had said. Higher class, not so much. 

      “I figure as much -” Trunks had a vague idea about how the other felt and judging by the way he was trying to keep himself compose made Trunks feel slightly distorted. To think even a pure blood saiyan could feel that level of helplessness as he once did and he was a half breed.. made him think he wasn’t as weak as he originally thought - which made him feel a sudden relief wash over him.

   “Forgive me for asking such a personal question - I just.. mother always told me I been too curious for my own good.” This would be one of them; “My apologies.” he added quickly and shut his lips into a thin line, “Well aside the topic of that tyrant - at least.. I hope life was good for you? For a time being I hope…?”  Trunks knew the other had a wife - and two kids. Goku being one of them - while the other OLDER one…

       “You must be proud of your son.” he smile, “Goku-san is a great man, has his flaws but doesn’t anyone?”

 “Hm...”    Bardock thought about it. Was his life good? He had been living a lie for most of it, but as the old saying goes; Ignorance is bliss. Funny how you can enjoy something for so long only to realize how wrong it actually was. 

 “Yeah.” He finally spoke.      “I’m proud of him. In Saiyan culture, parents never interact with their child. He had such a low power level I had cast him aside as scum, just as my comrades would have. To see him prove me and others so wrong is probably the best I could’ve  asked for.” 

  Hearing that allowed sounded barbaric. Had Bardock become so soft as to feel his own culture was too harsh? He loved to fight, just as saiyans do, but the exposure to Earth and their family units made him think twice.