Hold Me Now
Ok, this is a G/B, T/M and U/P fic. If you don't like these couples, then you have been warned. I don't own the characters, or the song "Hold Me Now" from which the title was obviously derived. (It's a funky 80s song by a band called the Thompson Twins. Stupid name for a band with four members, but I like the song). And thank you, Sarah aka Vega, for beta reading this for me! It's amazing how so many stupid mistakes slip right by!
A/N : In accordance with fanfiction.net regulations, the lemon scene in this chapter has been removed. There is a note at its former place, as well as a link to the uncensored version of the story.
One
I have a picture, pinned to my wall,
An image of you and of me, and we're laughingAnd loving it all.
Look at our lives now, we're tattered and torn.
We fuss and we fight, and delight in the tears
That we cry until dawn.
Bulma Briefs Vegeta made a short list. It consisted of names, with corresponding addresses of the people she wished to invite to a party to be held at Capsule Corp., her home.
The list was longer than it had been the previous times she had made it. The "children" were all grown up, and had moved out of home, except for Trunks, who, being the President of Capsule Corp., had to remain at home. Bulma organised the party revolving around his work.
For this year, Bulma had to send her own daughter an invitation. Bra had moved to go to university; to get a nursing degree I like making Bra a nurse, don't I?. She said that she had always wanted to help people. Her Spring break was coming up soon, but Bulma still wanted to let her know in advance.
Marron still lived in Satan City, in a small apartment, supporting herself with a job as a barmaid. Bulma had offered Marron a job at Capsule Corp. on numerous occasions, but Marron had always politely refused. She felt her history with Trunks could cause complications.
Pan also lived in the city, working as a teacher. She taught Personal Development, Health and Physical Education at Orange Star High School. Gohan and Videl often wondered about their daughter's sexuality. Since breaking up with Uub, she had not dated another man, though she had all male friends. When she had found out what they thought, she told them, through Bulma, that she was not a lesbian, and had not spoken to them since.
Uub was doing an accelerated tertiary course in construction, which he was complementing by a traineeship with a local construction company. He really wanted to make something of his life, apart from fighting, and he was doing a good job. After his break-up with Pan, he had sunk into depression for several years, and was only just getting over it. They had really loved each other, but their relationship was not working as Pan wanted it to. Uub had not been prepared for the break-up, and it hurt him very deeply.
Goten was harder to contact, but fortunately he had left Bulma an email address, so she could find him, wherever he was. Inspired after winning a kareoke competition, Goten had started up a musical career. He was mildly successful, with a few of his singles making it into the charts, but his main love was for live performances. This had caused severe problems between he and Bra. She thought he was being ridiculous, believing he could make it as a musician. She knew that her chosen career of nursing was well within her grasps, since she was intelligent, and enjoyed what she was learning. But the chances of Goten making it as a performer were extremely slim. Goten argued that it was his dream, and that if she really loved him, she should let him go ahead with it and stop treating him as if he didn't know what he was doing. It was his life, and he was free to do as he wanted. Besides, what would it matter if he was not successful? He had managed his life fairly well up to that point, without a permanent job.
As Bulma thought of this, she wondered if the party was such a good idea. Goten and Bra had broken up on very bad terms, with Bra demanding that no one give Goten any of her contact numbers. Though Trunks and Marron were now "just friends", they were always uncomfortable around each other, especially considering the reputation they both had. Bulma wasn't sure if seeing Pan again would result in Uub falling back into his pit of despair. And she doubted that Pan would be particularly eager to see her parents.
But Bulma was sure that she was doing the right thing. She just hoped that this would mend their wounds, rather than pouring salt into them.
* * * * * *
Marron rolled out of the bed that she was sharing with yet another nameless male. The effects of alcohol were still vaguely present, so she shook her head to clear it, and remember where she was.
She was at a friend's place, after a wild party. If her memories were correct, then the sleeping form was not the only person she had bedded. There were at least two others.
Marron sighed, and as she always did "the morning after" asked herself why she did it. Why did she degrade herself? She knew the answer, just as she knew it would happen again. To get over Trunks. To force him out of her mind. And, as usual, it hadn't worked. All she had succeeded in doing was increase her reputation as a flirt and a slut.
Disgusted with herself, Marron grabbed her clothes and her car keys, got dressed and left. Luckily, she was not far from her apartment, because she could still feel the buzz from all the alcohol she had drunk the previous night.
Her mail was waiting for her just inside the door, along with her cat; a ginger named Geri. Gently patting Geri, Marron collected her letters, and carried them to the kitchen table.
Only after an insanely strong cup of coffee was Marron able to look through the mail. Amongst the bills, junk and second notices, she found an envelope distinctively marked with the Capsule Corp. logo. She hoped it wasn't another letter from "Trunks", offering her a position at Capsule Corp. Marron knew that it was Bulma who sent those letters. Trunks would never do anything like that.
Marron tore open the envelope anyway, and read Bulma's invitation. Her first instinct was to throw the letter out, and pretend that she had never got it.
But something stopped her from doing that. Maybe it was a desire to see her other friends, who she had basically dumped along with Trunks. Or maybe it was a subconscious love that remained for her former lover.
Whatever the reason, Marron rang Bulma the next day, assuring the older woman that she would not miss the party for the world. She had already marked the date on her calender.
* * * * * *
Pan also received her invitation that day – and she, too, was tempted to pretend she didn't get it. She still loathed her parents for their stereotyped views and assumptions. I simply prefer the company of guys! They're not bitchy or anything like that. How does that make me a lesbian?
But, again, something held her back. If the party was to be held at Capsule Corp., that meant Bra would be there. She would be back soon for Spring break, and Pan had not seen her for months now. Bra was the only – besides Marron – exception to Pan's guy friends "rule".
Pan dialled Bulma's number. Maybe my parents won't be able to make it. Pan smirked. And if worst comes to worst, I've got some great insults to use on them!
* * * * * *
"Later, Uub!" called one of Uub's workmates. Uub waved in reply.
Finished at last! He smiled to himself. Today had been a great day. He had been promoted to Chief Supervisor of the construction site he was working at. The boss thought that Uub had great potential, and reminded him of himself as a younger man.
Uub whistled as he walked to his apartment, just a few blocks away from the construction site. He hadn't saved enough money for a car yet, but even when he did, Uub doubted that he would buy one. When you had the ability to fly faster than the speed of sound, cars weren't really all that important to you.
Still whistling, he gathered his mail from the letterbox, and strolled inside. Nothing of any real interest…except for a letter from Capsule Corp. Uub smiled again. He wondered if Trunks had heard about Uub's success, and wanted to offer him a job at Capsule Corp.
His smile faded when he read the invitation from Bulma. A party at Capsule Corp.… The last time Uub had been to a party at Capsule Corp., Pan had told him that she didn't think their relationship was working. That they needed time apart. Uub grabbed a chair for support as his legs failed beneath him. He staggered to the pantry, and took out a jar of pills that he had not needed for months now, but had once survived on.
An image of Pan's face appeared in his mind as he gulped down three of the tiny tablets. He rushed to the bathroom, and brought the pills back up again, along with his lunch and afternoon tea. Uub rested his head against the bathroom mirror, and used the vanity for support.
After a while, he found the strength to splash his face with cold water. He remained in the bathroom for a little longer, before finally returning to the kitchen. The invitation was still sitting on the table. He grabbed it, and stuck it to the fridge. He'd have to think about that one.
* * * * * *
Bra staggered down the corridor to her dorm room, acting far more intoxicated than she actually was. A very drunk male shadowed her.
"Bra…wait up…" he slurred, smashing into the wall as he rounded a corner. Bra giggled, and continued.
She unlocked the door to her room, and stood in the doorway, waiting for the guy to catch up. "Congratulations," she mocked. "You made it here all by yourself!"
"I'm not a think as you pissed I am," he laughed. He leaned forward to kiss her, but stumbled, and ending up mashing his lips against her shoulder. Bra tried not to show her disgust.
Somehow, he managed to stand, propping himself up against the doorframe. One of his hands found its way to Bra's side, and started sliding upwards. Bra frowned.
"So, are you gonna let me in, baby? Or you wanna fuck right here in the corridor?" he murmured, attempting to sound seductive.
To Bra, he sounded like choking engine. She shut the door in his face, and locked it. "Jerk."
Bra couldn't wait to get home. The post-exam parties had started, and she was already sick of them. The guy she had just rejected had been the fourth that week, all of them begging to get between her legs. All of them sleazy, disgusting and stupid.
Bra switched on her computer, to check her email. She had three new messages. The first was a stupid forwarded office email from her brother. He must have been bored at work. The second was junk from the university. But the final message was interesting. It was from her mother.
Hi Bra-chan,
Looking forward to you coming home. Missed you heaps. Having a party in a couple of weeks, and wanted to let you know early. Invited everyone. Miss you heaps!
Love, Okaasan.
Bra smiled. Bulma was always so to-the-point when she wrote emails. Bra quickly typed a reply, thanking her mother for the early notice, and stating that she couldn't wait to get home. The minute she had sent it, Bra finally noticed something that had been written in the email. Invited everyone.
"Goten…" Bra whispered. Bra knew that she had a lot of unfinished business with her ex, but she wasn't ready to face it just yet. But then again, given the choice, she probably wouldn't ever want to face it. At least now, she would have to.
* * * * * *
"Whaddya mean, you've cancelled our show!?!" Goten screamed at the terrified clerk.
The small man fixed his glasses, and cleared his throat. "Well…y-you see, M-mr. Son…we just didn't sell enough tickets to cover the cost of hiring you and your band…and we had an offer from the bingo society. They payed us to use the room in which we had you booked. I'm very sorry, sir." The clerk quickly left, to avoid any kind of assault from the irate Saiyan.
"Great, just great!" growled Goten's drummer, Jock. "That's the third place that this has happened. I'm sick of it. No show, means no money. I quit!"
"You can't quit!" Goten snarled.
"Watch me!" Jock stormed out of the club.
Goten looked at his other two band members. His base guitarist, a dark-skinned man nicknamed Jag, sighed.
"I'm sorry, Goten, man, but Jock has a point. I can't keep this up. I've got my sister to support. I'm really sorry." With that, Jag followed Jock's route.
Goten growled angrily, and turned to the only remaining musician, the pianist, Julio. "Well, I guess it's just us, Julio…"
"Correction, amigo…just you. Adios."
Goten watched as his last band member left him. He let out a furious cry, and punched the nearest wall. A crack feathered its way from the epicentre of Goten's hit, and spread out across the entire wall. Goten backed away, guiltily looking around. When he saw no one had noticed, he too, walked out of the club, and, guitar case in hand, started the long flight home.
What a shitty day!
* * * * * *
The intercom on Trunks' desk buzzed. "Yes?"
"Your 2 o'clock appointment is here, sir," replied his secretary in a crisp voice. "Shall I send her in?"
"Yes, thank you."
Trunks stared at his office door as possibly one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen walked in, shutting the door behind her.
"I-I'm Trunks Briefs Vegeta, Capsule Corp. President…" he stammered.
"I know who you are, Mr. Briefs," the woman purred. "I'm Katherina, but you can call me Katie. I applied for a job as a model…for Capsule Corp. advertising?"
"Ahhh, that's right. Please, take a seat."
As she sat down, Trunks took a moment to properly check "Katie" out. She had fiery auburn hair, and dark blue-green eyes. She was wearing a red dress, which clung to her everywhere. It was very short, so Trunks could see her long, firm thighs, and very low-cut, so he could stare at her cleavage. Perfect specimen of a woman.
"So, tell me, Katie, what are your…qualifications?" Trunks asked, with a smirk. If this model was anything like the rest of them, he was about to get something good.
"Well…I've done work for Calvin Klein, plus a couple of Playboy sessions, and…"
"No, I mean…" Trunks took of his glasses, and pushed his chair away from his desk. "What are your qualifications?"
The clueless look disappeared from Katie's face, and was replaced by a saucy gaze. "Oh, I see. Is that how Capsule Corp. works?"
"Only for the models."
Chapter censored in accordance to fanfiction.net regulations. To read uncensored version:
http://www.geocities.com/goten_bra_fan/hmn1.htm
"Do I get the job?" she asked, almost hesitantly, as if she thought the screaming of "Marron" might have had some affect on her chances.
"Yes. You're a very talented young lady," Trunks replied, half in a daze. "Actually, I think there may be a permanent position for a model. Would that interest you?"
"Really? Permanent! Oh, thank you, Mr. Briefs!" Katie threw her arms around Trunks neck, and kissed him on the cheek.
"Not a problem."
With a perfect smile plastered on her perfect mouth, Katie started to leave. At the door, she stopped for a moment. "Oh, if you ever need to…check my qualifications again, you are quite welcome to."
"Thank you."
She winked, and left.
As soon as she was gone, Trunks rested his head against the table. He always conducted "interviews" with models in that way. If they weren't any good, they weren't offered a position. If they were, they usually were added to the "Model List", which was a list of names of models often used in commercials. A very select few were offered permanent positions. Those girls had to be especially good. They had to make Trunks lose control…and scream out Marron's name.
Deep inside, Trunks knew he was still in love with Marron. In the same way she basically whored herself to get over him, he had had sex with countless models to try and get over her. It didn't work for him either, as his encounter with Katie had just proven.
Trunks looked up, and stared at a photo, which he had kept, even though all the couples featured were no more. It had been taken just after Pan, Bra and Uub had finished High school. Trunks and Marron had already been together for several months. Uub had taken Pan to their graduation party. And Bra had finally worked up the nerves to ask Goten out.
Those had been the happy days; when things were easy. Sometimes, Trunks wished he could go back to those days. Life seemed so simple then. But now…everything was so hard. Trunks sighed. No use wishing for something that'll never happen. Things never go back to the way they were. Never.
Bra/Goten Nextà