Okay so this is a sequel to one of my other stories, Two Feet, but it'll make sense on it's own if you don't feel up to reading both.
This one is little bit more angsty to start I think, but let me know what you think! All comments welcome.

I should say it involves the guys being in a relationship which I know isn't everyone's cup of tea, but hey I've warned you, and also I really don't own any of this I'm just a girl who likes writing.

Chop x


Goten sat on the couch of his home waiting for the arrival of his other half. He tapped his foot to the rhythm provided by the ticking clock. The apartment was nice, compromises of luxury have to be made when your boyfriend is a multimillionaire, he'd known that coming in, and although he could only afford to contribute a fraction of what Trunks was footing for the bill, he also knew that this was the furthest Trunks would be willing to compromise. He had immeasurable experience in these matters.

They'd lived together for the best part of two years now, it had been a little more than that since they'd confronted their feelings for one another. Goten was in his final year at University, the journey to campus was a little further now he'd didn't live in a hovel, he supposed that was a fair trade when you could fly. There were few pictures about the place, they weren't sentimental beings, but it was clearly theirs; washing adorned the floors, empty take-out boxes were scattered across the table top and kitchen. Goten smiled, who needs photographs?

The reason Goten was making such a point of waiting for Trunks' arrival however was a little less rosy, the smile faded from his face as his brain flicked back to what was bothering him. He bit his lip. His mother knew of their partnership. His brother knew of their partnership. He assumed that after they'd moved in, everyone would be informed, Trunks has assured him they would be, 'all in good time'.

They hadn't been.

Goten had stomached this at first, it was understandable to begin with, it was all so new. Hell, he'd been tempted to give up before they started, Trunks had been so weird about it, but he'd seemed to pull it together. It became apparent as time went on however that pulling it together was an overestimation, his partner was about as far from pulled together as you could get. For a long time although Goten didn't like it as such, he could control the uncomfortable niggle he felt, it wasn't ideal, he admitted, but it'd resolve itself soon enough, surely?

It didn't.

And so the doubt started, he was forcibly reminded of a song he'd once heard, 'doubt comes in on sticks but then he kicks like a horse'. Accurate and poetic, they began creeping and then nagging; was Trunks… ashamed?

What was he, Goten, supposed to take from this? So it was okay for him to put himself on the line, it was fine for him to reveal himself, but that wasn't something Trunks was prepared to do? Goten puts all his eggs in their joint basket and Trunks sells him down the river?
'All in good time' had been the period suggested two years ago, and with no hint of forward momentum since, Goten had to ask, when exactly was a 'good time'?

The reasonable part of him, the only bit that could still detach itself from emotion and think objectively, admitted that he did understand Trunks' reasons… to an extent. Goten was fairly sure he himself would be taking the brunt of the beatings from Trunks' father, but herein lay the problem:

Goten didn't care.

He didn't care who knew, what they thought, whether they liked it, whether they didn't. If anyone else cared enough to take time out of their day to give he and the person he loves grief, then firstly, they're in need of a serious introspective, and secondly he'd, well… fight them.

If Gohan didn't first.

Or his father.

Other people having a problem with you becomes insignificant when you come from a long line of superheroes, he'd found. But then, this was somewhat irrelevant because, well, his father didn't know. Goten remembered the first time he'd suggested to Trunks that if he wasn't ready to tell Vegeta, then fine, but he, Goten, was going to tell Goku.

'No, Goten' Trunks had said in a clipped voice.

'What do you mean 'no Goten?'' He retorted, instantly annoyed, it occurred to him he'd come into the conversation with anger bubbling just under the surface, anticipating that response.

'I mean, no.'

Goten who had been uncharacteristically stacking dishes, wheeled around to face his boyfriend, who stood there equally unabashed and clearly unwilling to back down.

'It's up to me surely? I just know he won't take it badly; he's not going to run out and tell your dad is he, so what's the problem?' Goten looked at Trunks as if daring him to contradict him, 'It's not right that he's the only one of my blood relatives living in that house who doesn't know that me and you are here as more than friends. I'm sick of hiding this. If you won't tell you family then fine but I'm telling mine.'

'No you're not. You're sick of it are you? Well tell me seeing as you've clearly thought it through, what will happen when our dads are having a friendly spar? And your dad makes an off the cuff comment about me and you? Can you guarantee that won't happen Goten?'

'Well no but-'

'There you go then, but what?'

Goten fixed him with a furious look after being interrupted 'BUT he's going to find out sometime. Avoiding him forever isn't a long term solution is it.'

Trunks looked at Goten with an expression of vehemence.

'Well be that as it may Goten, and I'm sick of telling you this, I'M NOT READY YET.'

Goten brought himself back into the present and looked down at his hands, that was one of the first times they had had that argument, Goten had a sinking feeling as a tear dripped onto his palm and followed the curve of his hand out of sight, that this time might well be the last.

A key turned in the lock, Goten gasped. Then kicked himself for being so scared. The thing was, he didn't want to lose Trunks, he just wanted to live already. Live and not have to watch what they say, where they go. The god damn rules were driving him insane, he felt like Trunks had statistically analysed the likelihood of seeing a relative or someone likely to tell a relative that they'd seen him in each place they visited. Affection seemed to be acceptable in some places and not others. Trunks was outright avoiding his family, except what he saw of his mother through work. Goten couldn't keep track.

It occurred to Goten suddenly that that was actually possible. Maybe Trunks had calculated possibilities. He certainly had the capability. Goten suddenly realised what it was he was suggesting and shook that thought off, the words clinical and dispassionate came to mind and he'd rather they didn't.

Trunks headed through the hall, throwing his keys on the table and then himself into the couch next to Goten, who was stiffly leaning forward, elbows on his knees and chin in his hands. Sighing, Trunks closed his eyes and reached up to put a hand in the back of Goten's hair.

'Wassappnin?' He said through a yawn. 'I am so glad to be home'

Goten closed his eyes and leaned back into the touch, warm fingertips circled patterns into his scalp. The sensation seemed to start in his lower back and spread through him. He shivered.

Trunks pulled at his shoulder, guiding him into a hug. Succumbing, Goten moved himself backwards on the couch and put his head in the crook of his boyfriend's neck, allowing the head rub to resume and planting a soft kiss on the even softer skin of Trunks' neck. The two of them smiled.

And so, for the fourteenth night running, Goten kept quiet


Goten lay awake that night. He figured it was probably about 5, he'd stopped checking though, it had reached that stage where it's just depressing to know. Light from the street pierced through slats in the blinds and illuminated segments of Trunks' midsection. Goten studied the pattern with mild interest. He thought he could do it. The hugging, the affection. He'd been emotionally flashbanged, and then he'd missed his window. And now, when his other half had drifted off unplagued, that nagging voice in his head had piped up in the darkness. He thanked his brain sarcastically. Well done, brain.

He thought about reaching out, shaking Trunks awake, having it out, right there and then. He was so nervous he thought he might be sick. It was as if someone else's arm reached out and shook Trunks awake, some phantom limb in the darkness which he watched in horror as it made him face a conversation, the thought of which was making him want to puke in their very bed.

Trunks opened his eyes groggily.

'smthin wrong?' He asked.

Goten fought a horrible and bizarre desire to laugh.

'Yeah something like that'

Trunks sat up, rubbing his eyes and reaching for the lamp.

'Listen, don't get up.' Goten had no idea where what he was about to say had come from, but it felt so natural to say it, like it had been in a queue on his tongue for weeks and had only just made it to the front.
'Shit, I can't do this anymore Trunks. I want to be a normal couple. I want to be able to tell everyone I love you, and you won't let me. I think maybe some part of you is ashamed, or maybe your heart just isn't in it, and I've tried to respect what you want, but you don't respect what I want, so I just don't think I can do this.'

'What do you mean you can't? Where is this even coming from? You've been fine'

'Nah Trunks, I've never been fine with it, you know that.'