AUTHOR NOTE:
This is a Truten story, and yes, it is centered around a romantic premise between these two boys. If you have any objections to this type of content, please turn away. I do, however, welcome any and all constructive reviews.
This story is told solely through Trunks' perspective. Trunks and Goten have not been in touch for the better half of their high school life and have finally rekindled their relationship. While Trunks battles his inner feelings that have been growing for his best friend, Goten is harboring a deadly secret that could potentially cause history to repeat itself. These two secrets will both reap repercussions among both boys, but will their friendship be strong enough to endure it?
Chapter 1: Droplets
My feet dangled over the cliff side while I waited for him to come. It was the place we always met, but something felt different about this place. My mind sought an identification to this feeling, but all I could find were memories of sparring as kids, wrestling on the ground after I routinely kicked his ass, and eventually getting lost in the reverie of our more-than-brotherly relationship.
"Trunks!" I hear call out from behind me. My heart melts just a tad, but I maintain my composure.
"T'sabout time, Chibi," I taunt. "What the hell took you so long?"
He sits down next to me, unusually out of breath, but nevertheless a smile sits on his lips. I smile back at him as he shrugs.
"I was taking care of some things," he says. My eyebrows perk up, but I don't press the subject. God knows we all have our secrets and I'm certainly not going to push it.
I turn to face the setting sun as we peer over the cliff side, and I can't help but think about how much we've grown. It seems like just yesterday we were kids poking fun at our boyish ways, worrying about nothing but finding ways to get in trouble. Now, I'm 18 - preparing to take over Capsule Corp and he's buried up to his neck in school work.
We're not getting any younger, I guess. Sometimes, I feel like I should just tell him -
"Hello? Earth to Trunks…" Goten says, poking my shoulder.
"Huh?" I say, snapping my head towards him. He laughs and I smile back, unsure of what I missed.
"I asked why you wanted to meet me here," he says, ruffling his brow in curiosity. "Not that I'm complaining. You just seem so busy lately, and Mom always wants me to work on my homework…it's kind of nice to see you again."
I chuckle nervously, scratching my head. I didn't think he'd ask for a reason as to why I called him. Isn't it enough that I just want to see him? Couldn't we just pick up like old times? Spar a little, talk about pointless stuff…you know, how we used to be?
"Well…" I say, starting to trail off. My eyes squint at him, a grin smearing across my face. He leans back a tad as I lurch towards his torso and throw myself on him. He cocks his head up as I pin him to the ground, laughter erupting from him lips. He jerks back up, but not before I dig him back into the earth, with my head now hanging just above his. I stare at him for moment, aching for a response.
"Oh, a wrestle match, huh?" He says, grabbing my fists behind his fingers. Somehow, he pushes me off of him and I crawl backwards, attempting to regain my balance. He grabs hold of my arms and pins me back down, a smile now parting on his lips. Instinctively, I move closer to his face and he doesn't flinch. Part of me wants to … to do it. To kiss him. But I don't. It's just not me. This is all just a phase; a frustrated reaction I've built up in my head.
The warmth of his touch is far different now than when we were kids. I don't long to win anymore. It's not about being stronger. Or faster. Or smarter. All I want is -
"AHH," I shriek as he pushes me towards the edge of the cliff. "Goten, Goten, stop!" I panic as I trip over the ledge. He grabs me by the arm and pulls me over, a grin still sitting on his face. As he pulls me up, he brushes a few strands of my lavender hair from my eyes. Somehow, I find myself lost in the moment - taken slightly aback at his sudden affection.
"A little rusty there, huh Trunks?" He pokes my chest. I roll my eyes.
"Don't flatter yourself, Chibi," I jaunt back. "I let you win."
He doesn't protest. I've always loved that about him. Even when I'm wrong, he lets me be right. He's so silly and stupid and funny and amazing all in one; it's absolutely no wonder we've been best friends for so long.
"You know what?" He says, leaning his head on my shoulder. My heart beats rapidly at the feel of his touch. His spiky hair caresses my neck and I can't help but be at a loss for words.
"No matter how much time passes, you'll always be like a brother to me."
"A brother?" I respond despondently. My heart sinks into my stomach. This is not what I wanted to hear at all. Clearly these feelings are one sided. Wait, what feelings? Trunks, pull yourself together. This is your best friend. You know, the same goofy dude who you've done everything with since you were kids. There's no way that your friendship could be anything beyond platonic.
I remind myself that I could get any girl I'd ever want. I have a standard to live up to, and I have a company to represent. If anyone knew that I felt like this … I'd be doomed. There is no way in the world my heart is set on this geeky, goofy, silly little boy that -
"Yeah, a brother," Goten says. "No one will ever understand me like you do. Even when you make fun of me, I still feel like you get me. I don't know, I guess it's been hard without you these past several months. But I get it, you're busy."
My thoughts are racing. I'd give anything to just share with him all the secrets that my heart has been keeping. But how can I give away a secret that I'm not even sure of. Not to mention how he might react. I couldn't handle the rejection; or worse - lose him as a friend.
"I'll always get you, Chibi," I say, draping my arm around his shoulder. "No matter how much time passes."
"Really?" he asks.
"Really. I always see you around school, but there's just never enough time in the day, you know?"
"Yeah, with you graduating this year and my mom being on my back about my homework, it's kind of impossible…" he trails off, a tint of melancholy lingering on his face.
"I miss you, though," I say. "Even if you are a punk." I give him a light punch on the shoulder.
He sits there, smiling with that goofy, toothy smile he always gives. In a matter of minutes, the sun sets and the evening sky takes over, yet we don't move an inch. The sound of each other's breathing encapsulates the intensity of the moment, but it all seems so effortless. Here we are, friends again - just like old times. I don't want to grow up, but if I must, I want it to be with him.
As I look down at him, I notice his eyes are closed. His gentle breathing tells me that he's fallen asleep. The opportunity has presented itself and in a moment of pure spontaneity, I lean towards his face. I pause for a moment, capturing the image of a boy who's held a part of me since we were kids. This doesn't stop me from following my gut.
My tongue gently runs along the outline of my lips as I gauge myself for a moment I've been waiting for since we were kids. My heart is beating out of my chest, but I want it so badly. Can he feel myself moving closer to him? Or the warmth of my lips treading just above his?
My face is merely inches away from his, the sound of our breaths falling in sync with each other. For a moment, I pause as our lips are but a hair away from each other. The feeling of his breath intertwined with mine is explosive; my heart and mind lose track of all reality. I can feel the beats erupting from my chest as I sustain the moment, both nervous and excited to lean in. My apprehension blows away in a moment, and I make the final push. I bring my lips gently to his and -
"Unghh," he grunts, drowsily awaking from his slumber. I jerk back and undrape my arm from his shoulder. Did he feel it? Ugh, what was I thinking? What if he caught me - that would've been the end of it. I stand up and compose myself as he stretches his arms in the air. I offer a forced smile.
"What'd I miss?" he says, a yawn escaping his mouth.
"Nothing," I respond. "I think we both just knocked out for a bit."
I try my best to not let the disappointment show on my face, but I've always been one to wear my heart on my sleeve. He stands up slowly and stares at me for a moment. I stare back, unsure of whether or not he knows what's going on or what just happened. But all he seems to do is smile back. I exhale a silent sigh of relief when he chuckles to break the silence.
He seems to be pondering in his silence. I turn around when he puts his arm on my shoulder.
"Let's have a sleep over," he declares. "Just like old times. Video games, comic books, food, the whole shebang!"
A sleep over? Really, Goten? A sleep over like the ones when we were kids? You mean the same ones that made me question my identity? The same ones where you'd sleep over and I couldn't help but watch you out of the corner of my eyes while we'd play video games? The same ones where I'd force myself to talk about girls I convinced myself I was interested in just to make you jealous? Oh yeah, that kind of sleep over.
"Yeah!" I say, pushing past my hesitancy. "Come over tonight! I'll get the food, you bring the games!"
Before I can even finish my sentence, he takes flight to the air to head home first. I sigh again, reeling from the recapturing of these bizarre feelings. I'm having a flash flood of memories, and the night fall seems to be the perfect backdrop for that. I don't know what tonight is going to hold, and I shouldn't be nervous - but for some reason, I am. I want a platform to take action for these feelings, but how?
It takes me a good 30 minutes of sitting in my thoughts before I find a way to bring everything together. By this time, the first drops of rain start to sprinkle on my face. I had no idea it would be a foreshadowing for what's soon to come.
"Agh, I'm soaking wet, Trunks!"
I laugh as I welcome him in with his duffle bag full of video games and consoles. He shakes his hair out like a dog and I playfully push him off of me as the water hits my face. Every thing he seems to be doing just leaves me in bliss, almost to the point where I can't even think straight or do anything right. Nevertheless, I manage to guide us to the stairs, but not before passing my parents.
"Goten!"
My mother. Somehow she always finds a way to kill every intimate evening I try to plan - even when it was with girls. I wasn't going to let her be annoying tonight.
"Mom, we're busy!" I yell as we rush past the living room and up the staircase. I can hear the sound of her steps running to the foot of the stairs before I can reach the top.
"Goten, I haven't seen you in so long! Let me get a good look at you," she says in her motherly tone. "My, my, you've grown up so much. Hasn't he, Vegeta?"
He doesn't get up from the couch, but I can hear my father's grunt from the living room.
"Well, Kakarot's brat looks more and more like him every day, if that's what you mean," he mutters.
"Well, you get more handsome by the days, Goten," my mother says. This is becoming increasingly awkward as I rest my hips on the staircase, knowing this is going to take a moment.
"Aw, shucks. Thanks Bulma!" he responds, his goofy laughing following shortly after.
"I bet the girls are falling over you these days, hmm?"
"MOM, WE'RE GOING UP STAIRS," I shout as I grab Goten by the collar and continue guiding us upstairs.
"Trunks, don't be rude," my mother persists. "I just want to catch up with Goten!"
I stop out of sympathy and let them finish their pointless, ignoramus, and embarrassing conversation. This can't be happening; I am not going to let my mother ruin another important date. Well…this isn't really a date if he doesn't know it is. What am I thinking? This is all so insane.
"No girls for me….but I wouldn't mind one!" Goten responds to my mom.
"Fuck this," I grunt out of rage. "I'll meet you in the room when you're both done having your little reunion."
The rest of the conversation is a blur as I grab Goten's duffle bag and trudge off to my room. As I walk inside, I realize it's the first time my room has been clean in ages. I spent the entire evening cleaning it before he came over. And for what? For a friend who doesn't even have the same feelings I do? A friend who apparently wants a girlfriend still? Seriously, Trunks, what are you thinking?
The thought leaves my mind swiftly as I hear Goten's footsteps approaching my door. He walks in as I'm setting up the game console and inserting one of the game discs.
"Sorry, Trunks.." he says. He can tell I'm frustrated. "I didn't mean to -"
"It's fine, Chibi. My mom just doesn't know when to shut up."
He laughs, but there's something else resting on his mind. I'm curious but, again, I don't push it. I just want tonight to go well. That's really all I want, but it doesn't seem to be going that way.
I hand him a remote as I flip on the switch and wait for the game to turn on. I reach for the bag of chips next to me, looking for any avenue to break the silence surrounding us. Something is definitely on his mind, but I don't want to ask. I'm afraid he might know what this is all about…But how could he? There's no way…
"Trunks," he says, setting down the game controller. My heart skips a beat. He must know. I knew I was being way too obvious.
"Yeah, Chibi?"
"I heard your parents talking as I was walking up stairs. Well, mostly your mom."
The heaviness in my heart eases slightly, but then again…this could be worse than what I thought he was going to tell me.
"Yeah, what'd they say?" I stuff my mouth with a handful of chips as I pretend to be more interested in the game.
"Well, your mom said something about how she was worried about you," he says, pausing for a moment before continuing. "She told your dad that it's been months since you've brought a girl home. I mean, even I know you'd bring a different one home every week."
I freeze for a moment before continuing to pretend that I don't care much about this conversation. In reality, my heart's racing faster than ever. I know exactly where this is going.
"What's your point?"
"My point? Well…your Mom isn't sure if it's just a phase, but she actually thought you might be losing interest in girls completely. Just that you've been acting strange."
He chuckles to himself, almost to completely dismiss my total discomfort from this situation. I can't even believe what I'm hearing. Before I can even ask how my dad reacted, Goten answers my unspoken question.
"I mean, you're a ladies man, Trunks, so I'm sure she's way off. But even your dad said she was crazy."
"Did he really?" I say, finally setting the game controller down. I look him square in the eye and wait for him to respond.
"He said something like, 'No son of mine will dishonor our royal heritage by being a sissy,' or something like that."
Well isn't that great. Not only does Goten think I'm this big ladies man, but now my dad wouldn't even approve of this whole situation even if it did work out. I just can't win. My expectations for this night start to slip away. I can hear the rain pouring outside, and it's an absolutely appropriate setting for how I'm feeling at this moment. Everything seems bleak until -
"What's this?" Goten says as he reaches underneath my bed. He pulls out a bottle of vodka that I stole from my parent's liquor cabinet. They have so much of it that I figured they wouldn't notice if any of it were gone anyway.
"Oh, that," I say, smirking. "Something to kick our sleep over up a notch."
Goten sets the bottle back down, a slight look of unease painted across his face. Before responding, he picks the bottle back up, uncaps it, and brings his nose to the brim of the bottle. He wrinkles his nose in dissatisfaction and puts it back down one more time.
"I don't know, Trunks…." he mutters. "My mom would kill me if-"
"If what, Goten? You're not going home tonight. And we're not kids anymore. If we're gonna have adult sleep overs, we're gonna do adult things, got it?"
There we go, now it felt like old times. Bossing the kid around and getting him in trouble all over again. If there's one thing I knew about alcohol, it was a truth serum. And if a truth serum is what it would take to make all my unsolved questions answered, then so be it.
"I…I guess so," he stutters. "So, how do we do this?"
"What do you mean 'how do we do this?'" I jab at him. "You take the bottle," I say, uncapping it. "And you swig." I take a three gulps worth before pulling the bottle away from my mouth. I bellyache over as a cough escapes my lips. Guess I didn't know it was going to be that … strong.
He laughs at me and I feel stupid, but I turn my face away so he can't see it has flushed red. We'll see how well he handles his alcohol by the time this night is over.
"So…we just drink?" he asks.
"Yeah…or we could make this fun." I shift my eyes over to the video game console. We were playing a duel player fighting game, so what better way to incorporate games and alcohol than this?
"How?" he asks.
"Every time one of us loses a round, we have to take a shot. And we can't play any less than 15 rounds, got it?"
"15? Trunks, are you crazy! I've never even had one drink before, let alone 15!"
I lurch over and put my hand over his mouth. He looks at me like I'm crazy, but he doesn't realize why I've done it.
"Shut up, you idiot! I don't want my parents knowing I have alcohol in here - for your sake at least. If my mom finds out, she'll tell your mom, then we'll both be in trouble!"
He looks at me for a moment before nodding. A minute of a coaxing and teetering back and forth eventually leads to him picking up the video game and letting our drunken night begin. Maybe I'm in over my head…maybe this is all too much for the both of us. But in this moment, at this very point in time, I don't care one bit. I reach for the controller and let the games begin.
Just like old times. Except now, our laughs were louder and more drunken than they had ever been in our lives. We were red in the face and absolutely, without question, the most intoxicated people in the entire city. But there was a sort of meaningfulness to it. We were re-bonding parts of our friendship that had been broken for quite some time. Laughter. Happiness. Love. I missed it all.
"I haven't laughed this hard in such a long time," he says to me, grabbing his gut. "I forgot what it was like to have this much fun."
"That's because you don't hang out with cool people like me anymore, dweeb!" I joke, poking his stomach. He doubles over in laughter once again, and of course, I follow right behind him. Our heads are leaned up against the end of my bed as we jolt back in laughter, kicking our feet in the air and being more childlike than we've been in years. The innocence of our friendship has returned, but it's been accompanied by feelings of mine that not even alcohol can take away. As he continues laughing, I can't help but remember my sobering thoughts. My laughter swells into a sigh of content as a warming feeling washes over me.
"I really missed you, Goten," I say sternly, looking directly into his eyes. "Maybe it's the alcohol, maybe it's my repressed feelings … but I've missed you. And I'm glad we're back to where we left off."
He smiles at me before turning around and crawling up on my bed. I shift my body and look up at him, falling deeper into this feeling as the seconds creep on. I feel suspended in time and everything seems to be moving so slowly. I don't know where this is going, but I really don't care.
"I missed you, Trunks."
It's genuine, but it's not quite how I meant it. I want it to be how I mean it … but it's not. And no matter how drunk I am, I can still see through the Goten that is my best friend. My instincts are conflicting with my inhibitions and slowly, but surely, I'm giving in. Hesitation is welling in my eyes, but I fight it back.
"Goten," I say, crawling up on the bed. I stumble a bit. The alcohol is surely taking over now. "I…I don't want to be without you again. This friendship means too much to me."
He's incredibly drunk, and I can't tell if he's processing all of this. The glazed look in his eyes isn't just the typical goofy Goten look. He's hazing, occasionally teetering back and forth in place,
"It…it means a lot to me to Trunks," he manages to sputter out.
In a matter of moments I am once again inches away from his face. Our words are soft enough to hear a pin drop in the room. I want so much to just give into the temptations. But will it be worth it in the morning? That doesn't matter. All that matters is right now. All that I need right now … is him.
"Would you do anything for me, Chibi?" I say, moving closer…slowly, but surely. Our breaths have become intertwined once again. My tongue caresses my lips as I inch inward. His eyes trace the shape of my lips and move upwards where they eventually lock with mine. My heart is beating through my chest, and somehow, I can hear his beating too.
"Of course…"
Everything is spinning around us, yet it's all moving so slowly. All I can hear around us is the light pitter patter of rain outside entwined with the sound of our breaths falling into heated syncopation. I make the final choice.
"Kiss me." I say.
"Kiss you?" he responds, gently.
"Kiss me."
A beat of hesitation is taken. He is not scared, nor nervous. But a thought crosses his mind before he acts. Goten looks down at my lips once more before taking a short breath and looking back into my eyes. He leans in slowly, and I can feel his two lips encase my own as I close my eyes. The warmth is overwhelming; shivers run down my spine and I can feel every part of his kiss surge through my body. My hands run along the side of his cheeks, slowly drifting down his neck. The taste of alcohol lingers on his lips but it only intensifies every feeling, every touch, every second of this moment I've been waiting for. I taste every part of him as I gently guide my tongue through his mouth.
Time is no longer moving slowly. It has simply frozen and he and I have been suspended in this moment. I want it to last forever. I'd give anything to make it last.
"Mm," a sigh escapes my lips for a brief moment. He is silent, but willing…and in my drunken state, that's all that matters. No questions asked. He is everything and all I've ever wanted. He has dissolved all doubt and questions I've had about this moment. I knew I had fallen hard and, frankly, I had no problems with that at all.
"I love you," I say to him, pulling away for just a moment. He stares at me, a hint of sobriety easing into his eyes. A feeling of regret washes over me, but not before my intoxication takes the reigns of my subconscious again. His silence concerns me, but I hold back any sign of apprehension. I don't want to be hurt. But it feels like that's where this is going.
"Did you enjoy it?" I ask him, attempting to keep myself physically composed before collapsing in a drunken stupor. My body slumps over and I rest my head on his chest.
"As long as you did…" he says.
"I did…but what do you mean?" I respond, looking up at him. He rests his hand on my head and runs his hands through my hair.
"Well that's all that matters. I did it for you…" his voice trails off and he turns his face away from me.
"So you did it…because you didn't want to disappoint me?"
"I did it because you're my best friend. And that's what you do for best friends…" His response is sincere and strangely genuine, but that doesn't change the pain and fear of knowing that his feelings might not be reciprocated. But again, in this state…it really doesn't matter. Selfishly, all I want his him. And that's all I need to get me through this night.
"Then…will you do this for a best friend?"
I pick myself and lean over him as he is laying down and press my lips to his. I begin to slowly unbutton his shirt with my hand as I lower my lips down to his neck. He breathes a sigh that I can't quite seem to read … but I quickly forget it. I continue to kiss him, and he responds with no protest. He responds physically, but not emotionally.
My arm reaches for the dimly lit lamp in my room and I fumble with the switch for a few seconds before the room goes dark. All I can hear and see now are the feelings and thoughts I've had for years finally flowing into fruition.
The darkness has now completely surrounded our entwined bodies and the once peaceful silence has become deafening. The rain outside is pouring harder than ever and it continues to do so throughout the night. And, like the droplets outside, I am falling faster than ever.