"What goes around comes around," were the words that echoed in the depth of his soul as the final traces of his sleep disappeared. Dark, deep pools of ebony eyes woke up to glare at the ceiling. It were the words of that damn prophesy again; nevertheless it's just a freaking dream! A quick glance at his alarm clock, Goten decided that he'd done enough brooding for one night. His gorgeous lady was up an about already.
'Who am I kidding,' Goten snorted. That's Sakura we're talking about! 'That obsessively punctual wife of mine,' Goten reminded himself with a lazy smile. 'If only she were…No!' he mentally slapped himself and steeled his foggy mind to face the day.
Looking around, Goten took a deep breath, enjoying the blessed tranquillity which was bound to disappear soon. Finally, he mustered all his energy to swing both his legs of the bed and dragged his way to the adjoined bathroom. A lazy looking mess of ebony hair framing a heart-shaped face with high cheek bones and an ever-present frown greeted him at the mirror.
'Hmm…seems like another haircut is in order,' Goten lazily mused, examining the fringes grazing his shoulder blades. Then again, Vegeta liked his hair long. That's why he decided to grow it out in the first place despite the burden.
Signing for the umpteenth time, Goten went about on his morning routine. In about ten minutes, he was all buttoned up in his Armani and ready for action. Walking into the living room greeted him with the smell of crisp toast, scrambled eggs, seasoned bacon and the refreshing smell of his lady's body wash drifting from the kitchen. He could hear her humming a familiar tune by the stove and pictured her gliding effortlessly around the kitchen with a cookbook and her favourite skillet.
In that moment as he leaned onto the door frame to watch her, he couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu. All he could visualize in his foggy memory was not his gorgeous but withdrawn wife, Sakura, but a silhouette with tresses the colour of the moon and a voice as sweet as a nightingale. The silhouette turned around to grace him with a blinding smile and called out to him.
"Goten…." The figure before him, whispered.
"Goten, dear" It called out to him again.
"Goten!" It screamed.
"Wha-!" The ethereal being disappeared and Goten came face to face with his brother.
"Huh?! Gohan! What are you trying to do? Scare me to death with that horrid face of yours'?" Goten growled playfully at his big brother.
"Well…I try…" snorted Gohan with his mischievous grin but Goten didn't fail to see the clouds of concern behind the wise ebony eyes of his.
"I'll be alright, Gohan," Goten signed.
"Well, you say that all the time," Gohan whispered as he flipped through the channel of his HD plasma.
"Shouldn't you be helping your kids get ready to school?" Goten grumbled as he seated himself at the head of the table.
"Well….Pan is packing up her schedule for the day," Gohan spoke over the morning news, "And I am not sure about sending Romy out already. For now, I plan on taking her with me to work. She's still a little sensitive to her vicinity."
Catching the toast thrown his way, Goten cleared his throat and abruptly turned away from Gohan. "Well…I am happy you've got everything worked out between your kids," he mumbled moodily past his mouth full of cereals.
Gohan just kept his eyes on the news," I do know a thing or two about parenting, Goten. You don't have to lookout for me every time". And that was it! An uncomfortable silence descended the room, Goten ignoring Gohan for breakfast and Gohan intently glaring at the news channel.
Signing softly, Gohan threw the remote on the couch and took a seat next to Goten. "Look Goten, I apologize for my rudeness but seriously man! You need to cut some slacks. Relax a bit, won't you? You look like someone in their 80's."
Facing Gohan, Goten spoke softly, his words sounded mournful, "Last time I, 'cut some slacks', as you put it, Vegeta died! I am not about to go through that again!"
"Goten…" Gohan breathed.
Walking past Gohan, Goten entered the kitchen and lovingly embraced Sakura from behind. Goten buried his nose into her hair and took in a deep breath to calm himself. Everything about her screamed light! Golden locks of hair curled at the edges reaching her shoulder blade, almond-shaped eyes the colour of ocean blue, skin the colour of beach sand and a plume lips to finish it all. She was gorgeous! Yet, Goten felt only a cold body under his touch and a non-existing heartbeat in his ears.
"Thank you for the lovely breakfast, Sakura," he kissed her neck and desperately clung to any warmth he could find in her.
"Let's go, Goten," Gohan called from the door. "I have to drop Pan to school. Goodness knows! The kid would give me any excuse to boycott class."
That broke a grin to his face. That child was one of a kind but who could blame her. He would definitely hate school if he was made to learn among a bunch of kids ten times his senior. Pan was too smart for her own good, being the daughter of the president of Satan Enterprises. Goten snorted. No…he would go insane! Romy on the other hand…
"Pan! Come down this instant! No buts! Hey! Where did yo-Come back here, Pan!" That's Pan to you! Always there to give his coordinated brother a run for his money. Well, better go help him before the neighbours call the police.
Letting go of his wife, Goten entered the living room and cleared his throat. "Son Pan! On the count of three you better be here or so help me! One…Two…..Thr-Oomph-!"
He was none so gracefully crash tackled by a girl not half his height. "I am here Uncle Goten," cried the girl. Goten looked down to find Pan with long locks of raven hair clinging, to his waist. Her doe-shaped ebony eyes shone with mirth and an innocent smile curled up her cherub-like face. God, this child was adorable!
Goten picked up the child and ruffled her hair affectionately. "Pan…what have I told you about troubling your father?"
Pan made an adorable thinking face,"Umm….to make him run around the house till he falls into a dead faint?" the child enquired curiously.
"Exactly! Very good, Pan!" Goten cheered. Anything to bother his perfectionist of a brother, Goten cackled evilly.
"You are not helping at all, Goten!" he turned around to notice Gohan holding a diaper bag over his left shoulder and his right hand caught in a vice grip by none other than his daughter, Romy. The child looked up at Goten from behind her father's legs. Silver eyes peered at him from under bangs of long, soft silver tresses. Her ivory skin shone under the early sun as Gohan helped her fix her checked shirt while she clung onto her loyal pet. Goten narrowed his eyes at the snowy owl perched on Romy's shoulder, merrily dozing off.
"Romy, why don't you let your uncle hold dear Mukurowl while you fix your dress?" Goten could only pray he didn't sound sly.
"Thanks Uncle Goten!" Romy smiled while the owl snapped out of its nap and began to frantically shake its head. How did Romy even take this poor disguise for an owl?
"No problem, kiddo!" Goten smiled back with false cheer and barely controlled frustration. "I'll be in the car, Gohan!" Goten called out to which Gohan gave a distracted wave.
Goten marched into the garage all the while clutching the struggling own to his chest. "Will you just cut it out?" Goten snapped as he plonked the owl on the hood of his Lexus. And just like that, round, amethyst eyes snapped open to glare at Goten's ebony ones.
"Well, I would stop struggling if you'd stop ruffling my feathers now and then, Master Goten," pouted the owl in a petulant voice.
"Enough! You will turn back to your human form this instant, young man!" Goten growled. He realized he had lost his patience yet again. "And didn't I tell you not to call me Master? Didn't I, son?"
"Whatever you say, dad," whispered Mukurowl as translucent mist of midnight blue encased the garage and out of it stepped a young child.
"Aaah….temperamental as always, aren't we? Kufufufu…," the child cackled.