A/N: Please note that the following is purely fictional; any similarity to any living person or event is coincidental.

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball nor do I generate any profit from this. This is for entertainment only. (And 1 part revenge)

Goten plus 1

Being the son of a hero was never easy, being the son of a dead hero, even more so. Goten never knew his father, all he had to go on was a photo; one with his father, mother and his older brother, Gohan. The stories they've told him, of his father's heroic antics… and his eventual death. A man who placed others before himself…and before his family it would seem.

Goten remembered the tears she shed when she thought no one was watching, her regrets as she lovingly caressed the family portrait, the only one they had of him; Son Goku. The one and only family picture they had… and Goten wasn't part of it.

He hated the looks his mother's friends gave him. He hated how they would tell her how much it was a pity his father died so young and never knew him. How he looked so much like him and how much they hoped he wouldn't end up being like his father. People could be so cruel without even trying, Goten decided to go outside.

Goten had always known his mother never wanted them to follow in his father's footsteps. The times she kept breathing down his brother's neck, telling him to study whenever they were caught roughhousing outside. Reciting a whole life story of how important education was, for the future and so on before telling Goten to let his brother study; be a good boy and play on his own.

What about him? Why wasn't he allowed to go to school? Why did his mother pin all her hopes and expectations on his older brother? Why was he getting all the attention…

He tried his best, but no one was able to see it. Not his mother or his brother, they've never tried to understand him.

He loathed the first time his brother made him apologise to a snob, whose shin he had kicked for insulting his brother. So what if he was the principal. Goten could not see any reason to take his insults; pretending he could not hear them. He was almost disgusted as he watched his brother bow ever so low to the bald guy, explaining that his brother aka Goten was young, ignorant, that it was his fault for not teaching him well; speaking as if Goten wasn't there with him. His brother made him apologise anyway.

And that time when he broke 4 plates, 2 cups and the vacuum cleaner in his attempt to clean up the house. How was he supposed to know it was only meant for the floor... Stressful after a late night job, Chichi hadn't taken the sight of a messy house well. Grumbling in her frustration at the mess, the extra work and a stupid son who gave her all that extra chore.

Goten sulked for a few days after, in some part of his own heart he knew they didn't mean it… they both said so to him, trying to explain to him why … that they were just frustrated and hadn't meant what they said in the 'heat of the moment', that some things are just that way, that he would understand when he grew up.

Goten just nodded, saying he'll just go outside and play and not bother them… he waited, hoping they would correct him, scold him maybe… and tell him he wasn't a bother. Instead, his mother smiled and told him he was a good boy and his brother… had done no better, ruffling his hair; telling him he'll see him later at dinner before leaving for his room.

Goten felt like an outsider in his own family… an unnecessary, additional existence… nobody really wanted or needed.

Then Trunks came along, Goten couldn't remember how or when but one day he found a note stuck to his window, asking him if he wanted to be friends. It was a strange friendship to begin with, Goten had never met the boy yet always he would find something on his window in the morning. Whether it was a simple post it flag or a piece of paper taped onto his window. On them were words, simple messages from a young boy but Goten looked forward to them; waking up early each day, in anticipation.

3 weeks they've kept it this way and Goten was the happiest. Finally, he had someone to relate to, his own personal listener; a friend. It did not matter that he didn't know what Trunks looked like. All he knew about his mysterious friend was he was 9 years old and he had a dad. It was more than enough for him.

Excited over his making his first friend, he told his mother all about Trunks. His mother had seemed supportive, asking him to bring Trunks home one day for lunch. Goten immediately wrote his invitation, sticking it to his window. Trunks however, wasn't so sure was a good idea, what if Goten's mother didn't like him?

Goten brushed it aside, of course his mother would like him. So it was settled, Trunks would come over the next day at 12 sharp, Goten couldn't wait.

Goten got up with a scream as he reached for the clock beside him. 1.35 PM?! He was supposed to be up 3 hours ago! Oh shit! He hoped Trunks was still around.

"Kasan!~! Is Trunks here!?" He rushed towards the kitchen. Chichi immediately stopped washing the dishes.

"He just left, Goten" she spoke softly, uncertainty in her voice.

"Oh phoney… he didn't wait up for me. Why didn't you wake me up, Kasan? So how did Trunks look like? He's really cool right?"

"Goten"

"Hai?"

"Goten… I don't want you seeing Trunks again"

"Eh!? but why!?"

"No buts, Goten"

Goten stared at his mother's back. "YOU'RE NOT BEING FAIR! Why can't I have a friend!? Onichan gets to go anywhere and make friends and I don't get to do anything! Trunk's the first friend I ever had and…"

"That's enough, Goten! Now go to your room, we'll talk about this later" she went back to washing the plates.

"I'm home" Gohan entered the house. "Hey Goten, how are yo…?"

Goten stomped past Gohan, running past him to his room. Shutting his door shut. Gohan turned his attention from Goten's door to his mother. "Kasan? Is something wrong?"

"It's Goten, Gohan… this afternoon…" she proceeded to tell Gohan the events that took place in the afternoon.

Goten stood silently in his room, his back against the door. It wasn't fair…

"Hey Goten, It's Trunks"

Trunks? Goten beamed with joy "Where are you?"

"Hehe, not telling you yet. Do you want to play a game?"

Goten didn't hesitate.

"That really happened?" Gohan asked, his eyes wide with surprise before he smiled. "Well he is young; he'll grow out of it. Many do" he rubbed his mother's back, reassuring her.

"Are you sure, Gohan? You would have been shocked too had you been here…" Chichi frowned.

"Well… you got to admit we didn't really spend much time with him… we're always busy and that babysitter isn't always the best sitter around. It's no surprise he wants a friend his age. Or maybe he just wants your attention?"

"Alright" she smiled. "Lets' all go out for dinner tonight then?"

"Sounds great. I'm sure he'll like that"

"You go wash up and I'll go tell him" Chichi undid the apron, hanging it before heading towards Goten's room; opening the door. "Goten, it's kasan !?"

Gohan jumped as he heard his mother scream, pulling on his shirt; he ran towards the source. "What's wrong!?"

He turned to his mother, she was whitely pale. He peeped in, trying to see what his mother saw. His eyes widened, his breath stilled… as he stared. His eyes never leaving his little brother as ribbons of blood trickled down his wrist.

"GOTEN!" Immediately Chichi ran up to him, getting down on her knees as she pulled Goten's wrists towards her; taking away the small razor in his hand. "What are you doing!? Why are you hurting yourself!?"

Gohan immediately brought a wet towel, cleaning the blood. Goten was calm throughout the whole ordeal.

"Why were you cutting yourself, Goten!?"

"I didn't… Trunks did it for me… see? 'BFF GT'… Best friends forever, Goten and Trunks" Goten proudly showed his carved wrist to his brother; blissfully ignorant to both his mother and brother's horror that soon shifted to concerns.

To be continued ~

This is 'specially' written for my dear friend, idle8602 aka sabotager. Yes you know it's you, woman.

For those who don't know, she's the one who gave the challenge for 'Yaoi RPG' as well as a headache right now. So this is especially for her, idea by me, written by me, supported by orangehigh90, dunseeme741, sakanaforfish01 and wittytongue255; staring her favourite character 'Goten'.