Title: Pumpkins
Author: Grevola
Rating/Warnings: PG, some swearing
Parings/Notes: Established Goten/Trunks, all other pairings are canonical unless you squint. Humor fic. Wait, maybe that should be in the warnings...

"It's no problem Gohan, go ahead and keep the wrist bands, I never wear them any more," Goten called as he closed his bedroom door quickly behind his brother.

"Okay, this is getting ridiculous," Trunks said, dropping his nonchalant pose to flop onto his back on Goten's bed. "I swear your brother does it on purpose."

Goten sat down at the foot of the bed and slowly banged his head against the wall, leaving a sizable dent, "How does he always know?" he whined.

Trunks resisted the urge to smack his friend. He loved Goten completely, but sometimes the other boy could be as dense as his father. "Well, maybe it has something to do with all the noise you were making?"

"I was trying to be quiet!" Goten pouted, "And besides, it was your fault anyway. How am I supposed to stay quiet when you tug my hair like that?"

Trunks couldn't help a smug quirk of the lips at that, he was reasonably proud of his ability to make Goten scream when the occasion arose. But that wasn't helping their current problem, which was every time they'd managed to sneak off together in the past month they'd been interrupted before they could get further than some heavy petting. The last three times Gohan had been the one to suddenly pop in with a question, or to announce dinner, or this last time to borrow something he didn't need. Which brought something to the clever demi-sayajin's mind.

"Hey Goten, do you remember when Gohan and Videl were dating?" he asked.

Goten nodded, "Urgh, how could I forget? It was all 'luuurve and kisses and "get lost Goten"' for months."

"Well, how did your brother ever get any alone time with Videl?"

"Mom told me I had to leave them alone when they were in Gohan's room or down by the river," Goten said. "She'd take away my dessert if she found out I bugged them."

"Your mom did that?" Trunks said, sitting up in surprise.

Goten shrugged, "I think she was hoping Videl would get pregnant so they'd get married sooner."

"Huh," Trunks said, still wide eyed. It was easy to forget that Chi Chi had masterminded her marriage to Goku and still kept the Son family in line with a careful mix of threats, rewards and judicious manipulation. "So your mom was okay with them messing around?"

"Well, yeah," Goten said, "I mean she's always liked Videl and she's always on my case to find a nice girl and settle down. That's why I'm always on those dates, it shuts her up."

Trunks nodded. He wasn't worried about Goten running off with one of the many girls he dated. The relationships never lasted long, and could never grow as close as the one they shared. Long before they'd even known what sex was, Goten and Trunks had been more intimate than most people ever dreamed was possible. Having shared a body had made sharing everything else between them as natural as breathing. But it didn't make confessing their relationship any easier to their macho-image obsessed families.

"What would your mom say if we told her about us?" Trunks wondered.

Goten shrugged, "I dunno. She'll probably freak out 'cause you're a guy, but she might get over it 'cause your family's loaded."

"Like that's important," Trunks grumbled, "you guys have Satan totally in your pocket."

"Since when did my mom ever make sense?"

Trunks did have to laugh at that, "Yeah true."

"Besides," Goten continued, "if we told my mom, we'd have to tell your family too."

Despite being one of the most powerful and fearsome beings in the universe, Trunks shuddered at the thought of his father finding out he was gay, "Goten, that's not even funny as a joke."

"I wasn't joking," the younger man protested. "I mean, it's not like our parents don't talk to each other."

"And your dad couldn't keep a secret to save a life," Trunks frowned.

There was a long silence as the young men drifted into their own thoughts, both trying to untangle the untenable situation they found themselves in. They both knew their parents would figure it out sooner or later. But ever since their sparring matches had evolved into a different kind of physical contest they'd wanted to put that moment off as long as possible. Goten looked at the other man stretched out on the bed next to him. Trunks had been his best friend and his rival since they'd first met as infants. He couldn't remember a time when he wasn't chasing or challenging the other demi-sayajin at every turn. And he couldn't imagine anyone else he wanted as his partner.

"We've got to tell them," he said at last, "They're gonna find out sooner or later."

"But we don't have to tell them now," Trunks insisted. "We can wait a few years, can't we?"
Goten shook his head, frowning stubbornly, "Trunks, they're gonna find out. If Gohan hadn't knocked-"

"But he did! It's not like your family doesn't respect privacy," Trunks protested.

"Oh, so it'll be better when one day your dad just barges right in on us in the middle of everything on your bed?" Goten lowered his voice quickly, "I don't know about you, but I'd rather tell everyone with my pants on."

Trunks' frowned, the expression a perfect, if pale, mirror for his father's formidable glower. He wanted to argue with Goten, but he could tell when the other demi-sayajin was putting his foot down. And it didn't help that his lover was right. It was pure luck that they had managed to keep the relationship secret as long as they had, and Trunks knew that luck wouldn't hold forever.

"Alright fine," he sighed, throwing an arm over his face so he didn't have to see Goten's smug look, "I'll talk to my parents. Sheesh."

"Thanks Trunks!" Goten chirped, jumping on the other demi-sayajin and peppering kisses along his jaw, "you're the best!"

"Yeah, yeah," Trunks said, but Goten could see his small smile. Before he could do anything else, though, there was another loud knocking at the door. Both young men bolted upright, trying to assume postures of innocence.

"Goten!" Chi Chi yelled through the door, "dinner's ready!"

The two young men breathed matching sighs of relief and glanced at each other. Moments later the room was filled with laughter as they both acknowledged how close they'd come to discovery yet again. "I'll tell Mom and Dad after dinner tonight," Goten said, "do you want to stay...?"

Trunks shook his head. "Call me a coward, but I don't want to be there when Chi Chi explodes. Besides," he took a deep breath, "I'll be telling my father."

Goten leaned over and kissed the other warrior quickly, "Good luck."

"Thanks," Trunks said, "you too."

"Trunks! Goten!" Chi Chi's voice came from downstairs, "Dinner!"

. . . . . .

It was later. Dinner had been an unusually quiet affair, with Goten and Trunks both trying to drag the meal out as long as their sayajin sized appetites would allow. Gohan was eating with the family because Videl and Pan were visiting Mr. Satan for the weekend, but he rushed through the meal and then headed off to go meet with Piccolo for some evening training. If the eldest Son boy had any regrets about his marriage it was how it cut into his chances to visit with his old mentor. Trunks also headed off immediately after the meal, saying his mother had called earlier and wanted him home. It was a lie, but plausible enough that all Chi Chi had done was make sure he had a box of cake to take home with him.

And then Goten was sitting alone at the kitchen table while Goku carried the plates over to the sink while Chi Chi washed them. He stared blankly at the pattern of the grain in the table, idly tracing a knot in the wood without seeing it.

"Something wrong, Goten?" Goku asked, leaning over his son's shoulder.

Goten jumped and sent his chair over backward, completely surprised. "Ah- err- no. Nothing's wrong, heh heh" he tried to laugh as he clumsily got to his feet and righted the chair.

"Oh Goten," Chi Chi said, sitting down across from her son with a worried frown, "did you and Trunks have a fight?"

"Huh?" Goten asked, completely thrown by the question, "No, Trunks and I are fine."

Goku turned a chair around backwards, and settled himself between Goten and Chi Chi on the round table, folding his arms across the chair back. "Neither one of you ate much. Goten, you can tell us if something's wrong."

Chi Chi nodded, and patted Goten's hand comfortingly, "Goten honey, you know you can tell your father and I anything, right?"

Goku nodded as well, looking uncharacteristically serious for once.

Goten took a deep breath, "Mom, Dad... I'm gay."

. . . . . .

Meanwhile, in the Western Capital, Trunks had just arrived home. Though it was fairly late, lights were still on in both the training chamber and the test lab. Trunks hovered over the lawn for a long moment, trying to decide where to go first. On the one hand, his mother was more likely to take the news well. There might be some screaming and teasing, but the worst she would do would be to throw something at him. On the other hand, if he told his father first and Vegeta killed him, he wouldn't have to deal with his mother's awkward questions. The purple haired warrior considered his options for several minutes before deciding he might as well talk to his mother first. Maybe he could get her to be the one to talk to Vegeta.

Even though it was going on eleven at night, Trunks found his mother hunched over a circuit board and soldering iron in her lab. She was wearing pajamas under her lab coat, a sure sign she'd had a quick flash of insight just before bed. He settled himself in the doorway, leaning against the entrance with his arms crossed and waited. He didn't have to wait long.

"I'm busy Vegeta, go pound something to a pulp and I'll be along shortly."

Even though he had expected it, Trunks flinched a little bit at being mistaken for his father. It always surprised him how often they were confused for each other, even with the drastically different coloring.

The move was enough for Bulma to look up from her circuit board, "Trunks!"

"Eh, hi Mom," he said.

"Did you need something honey? I'm a bit busy and it's getting late."

Trunks took a deep breath and centered himself, forcing his heart rate and breathing to remain calm, "Actually, could we talk?"

Bulma gave him a strange look then set her soldering iron down and turned it off. She turned to face him more fully and gestured to the stool next to hers, "Well don't hover in the door way. Sit down and tell me what's going on."

Trunks took a few hesitant steps and perched uncomfortably at the edge of the seat, "Well, it's like this. Me and Goten..."

. . . . . .

Back at the Son house Goten was wishing he could just sink into the floor. His announcement was greeted with a long minute of uncomfortable silence. Neither of his parents had moved an inch. Finally Goku chuckled weakly, "Eh heh heh. Nice joke Goten. You're not really gay, are you?"

Goten kept his eyes fixed firmly on the table and nodded miserably, but it was like Goku didn't even notice.

"Are you sure? Really, really sure? Maybe you just haven't found the right girl yet? I mean maybe-"
Goten just kept sinking further and further into his chair, wishing he could escape. But rescue came from an unexpected quarter. Chi Chi smacked Goku on the back of the head, putting a stop to his disbelieving questions. "Goku!" she scolded, "I think even you could tell that Goten is not joking."

"Well maybe not, but..." Goku suddenly frowned in concentration and then vanished completely from the living room.

Chi Chi sighed, "I really hate it when he does that technique at the table."

"Yeah..." Goten agreed quietly. This was going worse than he'd ever imagined. He'd always figured his dad would be pretty much okay with his being gay, but apparently he couldn't even stand to be in the same room as his son once he found out.

"And as for you young man," Chi Chi said, her tone determined, "I want you to stay right where you are!" Then she got up from the table and began rummaging around for something in her bedroom.

She wasn't gone for very long, but to the young Son it felt like an eternity as he learned and re-learned every notch and stain on the old table. That one looked a bit like the Kinton, and this other looked like Roshi trying to grope someone. Suddenly the image of the old letch was covered by a towering stack of magazines. Then another stack of glossy covers joined the first and covered the fluffy outline of the Kinton just as Goku's presence filled the room again.

"Here Goten!" Goku said, flipping a magazine open and holding it under his son's nose, "She's pretty right?"

Goten blinked and tried to focus on the blurry image being held against his nose. He reluctantly took the magazine from his father and held it at a more reasonable distance. A blond girl in panties and a short nightie was winking over her shoulder at the camera. Another open magazine was dropped in his arms. This time woman with a purple afro was posed as if in the shower. The image was mercifully cropped at her navel, with a caption that read "Is that her real hair color? Find out when she reveals all on page 16!"

"Here, what about this one? Or this one?" Goku kept dumping centerfolds into his son's arms until the young man was buried under a mountain of magazines.

. . . . . .

In her lab at Capsule Corp headquarters, Bulma Briefs calmly set her coffee mug on the table next to her. Trunks sat nervously at her side, tension radiating off of him with enough force a few paper clips had been shoved across her work bench.

"Well, are you using protection?"

Trunks flinched and fell off the stool, "Wh-what? What kind of reaction is that?"

Bulma shrugged, unable to resist a small smirk at her son's shock. "A reasonable one? Now, I don't want details, but humor your mother and tell her you're taking necessary precautions?"

"I, er- I mean- We don't need-" Trunks caught sight of his mother's frown just as his brain caught up with his mouth, "Er, that is, yes Mom, we're using protection."

Bulma smiled "Good! I knew I didn't raise a stupid boy. Now have you talked to your father about this?"

Trunks paled considerably, looking especially ill against his fair coloring, "Er... not yet?"

Sighing, Bulma just shook her head, "Well, I recommend you have a word with him before Goku does. I take it Goten is having a similar talk with his parents this evening?"

"If he didn't chicken out, yeah," Trunks pouted.

"Then you'd better have a word with your father. He's probably wrapping up training now, so it's as good a time as any."

Sighing, Trunks knew his mother was right. Vegeta was always at his most mellow just after finishing a good work out and he'd be less likely to express his displeasure in a way that would require working up a sweat. Of course a few of his beam attacks would do considerable damage without requiring much of a build up...

"Oh don't look like I'm sending you off for an execution!" Bulma scolded, "Just go tell your father what you told me. But maybe wait to mention you're dating Goku's youngest..."

"Good idea," Trunks nodded. Then he resisted the urge to ask her for good luck, or at least his last rites, before he made his way to the training room on the other side of the building.

. . . . . .

"Son Goku where did you get this filth and how dare you show it to my son?" Chi Chi was yelling at Goku as she threw the magazines back in his face, unburying Goten with surprising speed.

The older Son held his arms up in a pacifying gesture, occasionally ducking a thrown publication. "Hey, hey, easy Chi Chi. I got them from Roshi."

"And you thought it would be appropriate to throw these, these, filthy rags at our impressionable son?"

"I-isn't that what you were doing?" Goku managed, gesturing to the stack of glossy covers that still sat untouched at Goten's elbow. "I thought maybe he just hadn't seen something he liked?"

Chi Chi threw her arms up in exasperation, "Those are interior design and home decorating magazines! Not pornos!"

Goten had been half way to the door, hoping to sneak out while his parents were distracted, when he heard what his mother said. "Interior design?" he asked.

Chi Chi turned to her son, a sunny smile on her face, "Of course! It's very modern to have a gay child these days. And we'll work on getting you into the best design school we can find." The she frowned, "Unless you don't think they would understand your creativity? What am I saying, of course they won't! You're going to be too much for those stodgy schools!"

Goten and Goku shared a look. For a moment all of the awkwardness of Goten's confession was forgotten in the face of their utter confusion.

"Er, Chi Chi," Goku said, "what are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about our son Goten's future," she said. "Gohan is already a great scholar and a great warrior, so Goten will be a great artist or designer. Or maybe a dancer."

"Um, Mom?" Goten said, "I said I was gay. Not an artist. I still like sparring, and guitar and stuff..."

"Music! Of course! We'll get you some piano lessons right away."

"Um, Chi Chi?" Goku finally managed to break in as his wife began making plans for Goten to study with the symphony in West City, "Are you really okay with this? I mean our son wants to, er, date, er... boys?"

Chi Chi stopped her planning and fixed Goku with a hard stare, "Goku, we do not live in the dark ages any more. Things are different from when we grew up. We must be caring and accepting of Goten's chosen lifestyle and support him in his dreams."

"Now Goten," she said, shifting gears, "do you have a boyfriend? Of course you do, you have your father's good looks. Now I want you to invite him over for dinner as soon as possible so the whole family can meet him. We'd love to meet him, right Goku?"

Goten stared at his parents. His mother, with her hands on her hips and still clutching one of the offensive magazines, and his father, scratching the back of his head and trying to look suitably supportive. The dining room was buried under a drift of glossy covers, some with school girls and some with living rooms. And his mother was insisting his boyfriend come to dinner, when not half an hour before said boyfriend had left with a box of cake under his arm. The situation was finally too much for Goten. He glanced from one parent to the other and then burst out laughing.

"Go-Goten?" Chi Chi asked, her voice filled with concern.

"Sorry, it's just funny. My boyfriend is Trunks."

Goku vanished again.

. . . . . .

Vegeta had obviously just stepped out of the shower when Trunks caught up to him. Bulma had finally attached a small bathroom to the training facility when she'd gotten sick of her husband tracking sweat and blood and who knows what else half way across the building. The older sayajin was dressed in a pair of training shorts and absently toweling his hair dry as he stepped into the hall.

"You want something?" He asked when he saw Trunks lurking in the corridor.

"C-can I talk to you for a minute?" he asked.

Vegeta shrugged, which was as close to a yes as Trunks was likely to get.

"Um, it's about me and... Well-" he tried to think of how to phrase it. Sometimes human slang or idioms would slip right past his father, but he really didn't feel like anything as clinical as 'homosexual' was right. "Look, Dad, do you know what 'gay' means?"

Vegeta rolled his eyes, "If you're asking if I'm aware that some men prefer the company of other men, then yes. I do."

"Oh. Er, good. That's good," Trunks trailed off, and the two men stared at each other for a long moment.

Finally Vegeta shifted impatiently, "Trunks, are you trying to tell me you're gay?"

"Yes?" Trunks offered, half braced for a violent reaction.

Vegeta just grunted and gave his hair another swipe with the towel, "How long have you and Kakarot's boy been together?"

"About six mo- Wait you knew?"

Dark eyes glared at him over the edge of the towel, "I'm not an idiot you know."

"Oh." For the second time that evening Trunks felt strangely disappointed. It wasn't that he wanted his father to freak out and try and beat his preferences out of him, but it somehow made him feel cheated. Like his confession was no big deal, or his life didn't really even matter.

"Are you using protection?" Vegeta asked, his voice bored like he was going through a checklist.

"No... We're both-" suddenly Trunks went pale, "You're not about to tell me sayajin men can get pregnant are you?"

"What?" Vegeta blanched, "NO! Fuck no. God no. No. We can't."

"Ohthankgod," Trunks breathed in relief.

"Where the hell did you get that idea?" Vegeta asked.

"When I told Mom she asked about protection, and then you asked, and I mean we're both guys! What could happen?"

Vegeta smacked Trunks lightly in the ear, just enough to knock him slightly off balance, "It's not about pregnancy, you idiot. It's about disease. If you're not careful you can get very sick."

"But it's not like Goten or I have anything," Trunks frowned, "or like we're sleeping around."

Vegeta shrugged, "Good. I'm told that helps. But I'd rather you be safe than have to deal with your boyfriend's whining if anything happened. So grab five zeni out of my wallet and buy a box of condoms, okay?"

"Uh. Sure thing Dad," Trunks said. Suddenly the idea of Vegeta beating the crap out of him was much more attractive than having his father explain safe sex to him. Safe gay sex.

Having decided all the important things had been covered, Vegeta brushed past Trunks and continued down the hall toward his room. He paused about halfway down, but didn't turn around, "One more question."

Trunks groaned, "What is it, Dad?"

"I don't want details... But please tell me you're the one who tops."

"What?" Trunks yelled, his ki jumping as he blushed furiously at the overly personal question.

"I don't really want to know," Vegeta said, "just give me some piece of mind and tell me you're the one who tops."

"Uh... sure thing Dad. Just like you-"

There was an orange blur, and then Goku was standing in the middle of the hallway. Both Trunks and his father took a step back, startled by the unexpected appearance.

"Vegeta!" Goku yelled, "! I know it's really weird but Chi Chi says we have to be supportive, so youcan'tkillTrunkswhenhetellsyou. Besides Bulma would get mad if you killed him, and itwouldmakeGotenallmopey and-"
"Kakarot, what are you blathering about?" Vegeta asked, completely confused by his rival's jumbled words.

"Trunks and Goten!" Goku replied.

"Er, hi Son Goku," Trunks said from behind the older sayajin's back, "I guess Goten talked to you?"

"Trunks!" Goku said, "Are you okay, Vegeta didn't hit you or anything? Maybe you haven't told him yet?"

Vegeta rubbed his temple and tried to stave off the building headache, "Kakarot, you idiot, calm down. If he hadn't told me, your rushing in here certainly did. Now what's the problem? Why the hell would I beat Trunks up for dating Goten, or whatever it is they're doing?"

Both Trunks and Goku gave Vegeta surprised looks at this. "But Vegeta," Goku said, "It's hardly normal..."

This time Vegeta was the one who looked confused, "The hell it isn't. Sayajin women were rare, it's totally normal for two men to form an attachment with each other."

"Sayajins are gay?" Trunks and Goku both asked.

Vegeta rolled his eyes, he felt he was doing that a lot that evening, "Yes, some of them are. It was especially common for two men to form an attachment to each other when there wasn't any fighting going on. Are you both satisfied with the history lesson now?"

Trunks breathed out a sigh of relief. It was nice to know there was an explanation for his father's attitude about the whole thing.

Goku's reaction was somewhat different. The taller sayajin went pale and raised a shaking finger at Vegeta, "S-so you and Nappa?"

Vegeta's eyes went huge, "NO! God no."

Goku seemed to calm a bit before another unpleasant thought struck him, "Then you and Raditz?"

"No!" Vegeta said, more annoyed than horrified this time, "Stop speculating about my sex life Kakarot."

"So you mean Nappa and Raditz...?"

"Yes! Fine, yes. If it will shut you up," Vegeta sighed. "Now get out of my house, you're giving me a headache."

"Oh, er... Right," Goku said, finally seeming to realize he had burst in rather disruptively. He raised two fingers to his forehead, but before he teleported he turned to Trunks. "Trunks, do you have any messages for Goten?"

Trunks sighed, "Tell him I'm alive and I'll call him in the morning."

"Alive and will call, got it!" And with a nod and another orange blur he vanished.

Vegeta was standing down the hall with his hand over his eyes, "Is he gone?"

"Yes."

"Good. I'm going to find some aspirin and go to bed," Vegeta said. "Don't forget what I said about the condoms."

Feeling that at this point his evening couldn't get weirder if Piccolo did a can-can down the hall, Trunks just nodded and felt vaguely grateful when no namekians suddenly appeared.

. . . . . .

Six months later...

Goten squirmed as his mother adjusted his shirt and fussed with his hair again, "It's fine Mom, can I go now?"

"I just want you to look good for Trunks!" Chi Chi said, "What are you going to do if he breaks up with you? Who will support your artistic vision then?"
"Mom I don't have an artistic-" Goten began, but was saved from having to go through the same old argument by a knock on the door.

"Ah, Trunks," Goku said as he opened it, "come on in. I think Goten's ready."

"Ah, thanks Goku..." Trunks said. Things had been slightly awkward between the two boys and Goku at first, but they all seemed to have settled on not discussing anything too closely and it seemed to be working to keep the peace.

Before Trunks could do more than step in through the doorway, Goten appeared out of no where and grabbed his arm. "Ohgoodyou'reherelet'sgo," he said.

"G-Goten!" Trunks protested as he was hauled back out of the house.

But his long time friend was determined to put as much distance between them and his house as he could manage, and took off flying. "We'll be back later, say 'Hi' to Pan for me, love you both bye!"

It wasn't until they had set down several miles from the house at a quiet spot near the edge of the river that Goten breathed a sigh of relief.

"What was that all about?" Trunks asked, smirking in amusement at his lover's antics.

"I have got to move out," Goten sighed, flopping back on the grass, "Mom is driving me crazy."

Trunks laughed, "Well, you could always be my kept man."

"Urgh, don't tempt me. I'll do whatever you want as long as it doesn't involve piano lessons."

Trunks leaned over his dark haired companion and ran a teasing finger down the other man's chest, "I promise, no piano."

Goten chuckled a bit as Trunks passed a ticklish spot, but the laughter turned into a moan as the touch became more intimate. "Don't tease," he said, reaching up to tangle one hand in the short hairs at the back of Trunks' neck.

Trunks just smirked and leaned down until his lips were just a hair's breadth from the other man's, "Who's teasing?"
Their lips had just touched when they heard the sound of a throat being cleared loudly, "Hey Goten, can I borrow your phone for a minute?"

Both of the demi-sayajins jumped in surprise, knocking their heads together in the process. Goten sat up, rubbing at the knot on his forehead, "Ow! Gohan! What are you doing out here in the middle of nowhere?"

Gohan just laughed, "Oh, lots of things. First I'm getting revenge for all those times you and Trunks would tag along after me and Videl."

"Petty bastard," Trunks muttered.

Gohan ignored him and continued, "And second I figured you guys didn't want Piccolo to catch you making out on his front lawn."

"Wait, this is Piccolo's front lawn?" Goten asked, looking around frantically. Sure enough, the waterfall where the namekian usually spent his days was only a few feet up the river from where they were. He groaned, "Aw, damnit!"

"You know," Gohan said conversationally, "if you're looking for some privacy, you two could always get a capsule house and go find an island somewhere. I never understood why you always decided to make out in your room."

The two young men stared at him for a moment, and then exchanged looks. "Uh, we never thought of that..." Goten said.

Trunks just shook his head then grinned cheekily, "You know, that's a good idea Gohan. We're gonna go do that right now!"

Gohan watched as the two boys few off, Trunks leading Goten by the hand just like he had when they were children. Of course they were hardly children any more, but in some ways the more things change the more they stayed exactly the same.

"The coast is clear, Mr. Piccolo," Gohan called.

"Finally," the grumpy namekian replied as he stepped out from behind some rocks. "Now show me that technique you've been working on."

Yes, some things stayed exactly the same.