Ch 4

Goten was happy when he rose to the morning light to see Trunks sleeping peacefully. He had felt no chaotic energy from his friend throughout the night but then he started to wonder why his presence helped Trunks sleep. What was it about him? He wasn't so sure he wanted to think about because it made him nervous, and he didn't know why.

Getting up quietly from the bed, Goten made his way to the door and opened it softly, sensing no energies in the hall. Making his way to his bedroom, he opened the door and closed it behind him. Sighing in relief, Goten turned from the door and gasped in surprise. "Grandpa! Uh, what are you doing in my room?"

"Why weren't you sleeping in your room last night?"

"I—I don't know what you—

"I saw you go into Trunks' room, and I want an explanation right now Goten."

"You have to promise not to tell anyone. Trunks has been having nightmares recently, and he asked me to sleep beside him for the rest of the trip. It's so he can get some sleep."

"And you buy his excuse?"

"His excuse, what do you mean? He use to have nightmares as a kid too, and I slept beside him then."

"He wants to get close to you."

"He wants to reconnect with me, and it's understandable because it's been a year since we've seen each other."

"I'm not talking about friendship Goten."

"Well what else could you—oh!" Goten said, his eyes widened in realization. "You're being ridiculous grandpa. There's nothing going on romantically between Trunks and I."

"It better not Goten. You know that would just hurt your mother. I came here to make sure we understand each other."

"We do," said Goten as he watched his grandpa leave, closing the door behind him.

Goten felt shaken by their whole conversation as he entered his bathroom, stripped his clothes, and took a shower. Wiping the condensation from the mirror, Goten looked at himself. 'It can't be true, can it?' he thought. 'I mean I can't have feelings for him, and he definitely can't have feelings for me, right? We're best friends, the best that ever was.'

Getting dressed, he could feel the doubt enter him. 'I wonder if I should ask him?' he thought but changed his mind quickly. 'That would end in disaster, but I still wonder what he would say. Dendei I wonder what I would say,' he sighed. 'I guess I'm not ready for that conversation.'

Making his way downstairs, he started to feel nervous. 'How do I even face him? How can I look at him without wondering about what grandpa said. He sighed. 'I just hope he won't tell anyone about Trunks' nightmares. I'm sure Trunks would be pretty pissed if he found out I told grandpa, some friend I am.'

"Goten."

"Hi mom," said Goten as he watched her cooking in the kitchen. "You need any help?"

"Oh no honey but thanks for asking."

"Is everyone still asleep besides you, me, and grandpa?"

"It would seem that way. If I know the Briefs family, they don't get up early unless they have to."

"Well it is a vacation mom. That's the best time to sleep in," he smiled, "besides I'm pretty sure you've got almost everyone in our family hardwired to wake up early."

"I believe it's good not to waste the day. Anyway I talked to your grandfather this morning."

"Oh, about what?"

"You know what honey. Your career is important, and I don't want you to throw it away on unnecessary things."

"You mean my friendship with Trunks. It's far from unnecessary mother. He got me through a lot of tough times in my life. We've been through a, lot together, and I'm not going to let go of my friendship with him because you think it's for the best, or grandpa's silly notion that there's more than friendship between us."

"So, you don't have any feelings for him?"

"I—

"Good morning!" exclaimed Videl as she came downstairs along with her husband and daughter. Looking at mother and son, Videl felt the tension. "Uh well I can't help but feel we walked into something."

"No," said Goten. "I'm just making things clear with mom is all."

"What kind of things?" asked Pan.

"It sounds like grown up things Pan," said Gohan. "It's none of our business."

"You always say that Papa," said Pan as she sat at the table.

"It's with good reason," said the Ox King.

"I just want to be able to run my own life without being told what to do," said Goten. "It's that simple."

"When you're capable of running your own life, we won't have to be so strict with you," said the Ox King.

"When this week's over, I'll be on the path to my career. You can't control me anymore," said Goten as he walked out of the kitchen and took off from the cabin. He needed some distance right now before he said something he would regret. He just couldn't take it anymore, and he knew music was his way out.

Vegeta was flying back to the cabin from doing some early morning training in the forest when he spotted Goten sitting on the dock overlooking the lake. Normally he would ignore him without a single thought but the look of distress on his face made him curious.

Floating over the water before the demi-saiyan, he watched as Goten met his eyes. He could tell there was a lot going on inside him. "What's the matter with you Goten?"

"I don't know why I let my mother and grandfather control me. Maybe I just wanted them to be happy. Maybe I just wanted them to be proud of me but all I'll ever be is a disappointment. I'm tired of it, so I'm just going to go my own way from now on and follow my dreams."

"Well, you seem to have it all figured out. There's something else, isn't there?"

"Uh um," Goten blushed as he rubbed the back of his head, "yeah but it's not that simple. I think I found out something, but I'm not sure it's true. I'm not sure how I feel about it. I have to confront this person eventually to find out, but I'm not sure I'm ready for the answer."

"You humans make everything so complicated when it doesn't have to be."

Goten smiled. "That sounds about right. So, how was training?"

"Productive. You'd know if you, your brother, his daughter, and my son ever got around to it."

"We're busy people with lives but if it means that much to you, then I promise to try."

"You have the same attitude as Trunks," said Vegeta as he felt a change in Goten when he brought up his son. "So, this problem you have has to do with my son?"

"What? I didn't say—

"You didn't have to, but I suggest you talk to Trunks."

"I—I'm not ready yet but thanks for talking with me Vegeta," he smiled.

"Yeah well don't mention it," said Vegeta as he landed on the dock and walked passed him.

Goten followed Vegeta inside the cabin to see his family eating breakfast at the dining room table with Bulma, Trunks, Bulla, Dr. Briefs, and Bunny. They joined their families at the table with their plates of food.

"So, where were you two this morning?" asked Bulma.

"I was training women. What else would I be doing?" asked Vegeta.

"Sleeping in for once would be nice," said Bulma. "What about you Goten?"

"I just wanted some air. The lake is nice, and I was down by the dock."

"Ok but since when do you go out in the cold to sit by a lake? asked Trunks, "especially so early in the morning."

"I haven't really taken the time to stop and look around me lately, and the cool air felt nice. It was just a spur of the moment thing," he said but he he knew Trunks wasn't buying his story, but he needed some time to figure things out.

Trunks had offered to clean the dishes as everyone else went off to do their own thing or so he thought until he sensed two footsteps coming up behind him. Trunks smirked. "Well I don't suppose you're here to help me with the dishes."

"You're not as smart as you think you are Trunks," said Vegeta as he smirked back at him.

"And what's that suppose to mean?" asked Trunks as he dried another dish and put it away in the cabinet.

"You look well rested so tell me Trunks what has changed?"

"You know, don't you?"

"Your friend is not so good at subtlety. I saw him walk into your room last night."

"When Goten and I were kids, he slept next to me and my nightmares would go away, so I thought it would work this time around."

"Is that all?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You mean you haven't noticed the looks you've been getting from Kakarott's harpy and her father?"

"What kind of looks?"

"Disapproval and disgust."

"No, but why would they feel that way about me? I haven't given them any reason for them to feel this way."

"Think about it son. Perhaps they saw your friend go into your room as well."

"We're best friends. It wasn't that unusual that we would spend the night in each other's rooms."

"And your mother says you're a genius. Do I really have to spell it out for you?"

"No," Trunks smirked, "I was just messing with you. Mom doesn't call me a genius for nothing."

"Well played son."

"Anyway their assumptions are misguided," said Trunks as he put the last dish away in the cabinet, closing the door.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of son."

Trunks' eyes widened in surprise. "I—I don't know what to say."

"Don't let the world's perception of you hold you back. You are my son, a saiyan Prince. You should hold your head up and high and go after what you want."

Trunks smiled. "You're right father."

Trunks was hanging out on his balcony just looking at the sky and thinking about his conversation with his father. He had truly surprised him with his support, and it wasn't often that his father through him off. It did feel good to know his father had his back.

Before he could sit back and relax on his lounge chair, a knock came to the door. Walking back inside his bedroom, he opened the door. "Hey mom, everything ok?" he asked as she walked right into his room.

"I could ask the same of you, you know," said Bulma as he closed the door. "It looked like you and your father were having a pretty serious talk in the kitchen."

"How did you know about that?"

"Well I saw your father going into the kitchen while you were washing dishes and the obvious would be that your father talked to me about it right after."

Trunks sighed. "You know I use to like it when he would just keep things to himself."

"Well your father and I agreed a long time ago that if any of our children told something major to one of us, we would tell the other what was going on," said Bulma as she took a seat outside.

Trunks joined her on the balcony and leaned up against the railing of the balcony. "I don't know if I like that rule."

"Well tough," she smiled. "Anyway I want you to know that I feel the same way your father does. I believe in following your heart."

"It's great to have both you and father's support, but it's not that simple."

"You don't know how he feels?"

"No and his mother and grandfather have been giving me the evil eye since yesterday, like they know something."

"I'm sure they do sweetie, and it sounds like they don't approve. Trunks it doesn't matter what they think or what the world things. All that matters is how you both feel about each other."

"Mom, it's not like I can tell Goten or anything. I've hardly been rejected before but being rejected by him—well I don't know what would happen to me. He's been everything to me and losing his friendship—I just don't want to think about it. Anyway when this vacation is over, he'll be recording an album and soon enough going on tour. I'll never see him. Friendship is easier right now."

Bulma smiled at her son as she stood up. "Love is never easy Trunks, and it is a scary thing. I can stand here and accept your decision, but I think you're making a mistake. If you let it pass you by, you'll find yourself with a lot of regret. You will always wonder what could have been. What if he loves you back?"

"I know you mom, so I know all this. There's no certainty that he would love me back, and I know I'm usually brave in all areas of my life. This is about my heart mom, and I want to keep it protected. Can you understand that?"

Bulma opened the door. "I do Trunks, but I think it's time to let love in," she said before she left.

Night had come as Goten opened the door of his bedroom, looked around to see no one, closed his door quietly, and made his way to Trunks' room. It felt different this time, and he felt a bit awkward and unsure of himself and Trunks. He sighed, wondering when he got to Trunks' door and when Trunks had opened his door to let him in.

"Are you ok?" asked Trunks as he closed the door behind him.

"Uh yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

Trunks smirked. "Because you're deep in thought."

"Oh funny, is that all you could come up with genius?"

"At the moment. Anyway, what's on your mind?" asked Trunks as he sat down on his bed.

"My grandpa saw me come into your room the first time, and he seems to think that something was going on that wasn't."

"He thinks we were sleeping together."

"Ye—yeah," Goten blushed, "something like that but I told him nothing was going on because we're friends. We use to hangout in each other's rooms and night when we were kids."

"Well problem solved then. There's nothing to worry about."

"That's what I thought, but he got me thinking about something."

"What is it?"

"Do—do you I—I'm not so sure I should ask you now."

"It's all right. You can tell me anything, and I'll still be here for you."

"Do you have feelings for me?"

Trunks felt his heart drop. 'Shit what do I do now? Do I tell him or lie?' he thought as he looked at his friend. "I love you like a brother Goten and as my best friend, nothing more."

"Oh," said Goten as he sat beside Trunks on the bed. "Um well I'm sorry for assuming something that wasn't true but I had to know."

"It's all right," smiled Trunks. "Lets get some sleep, it's late."

"Ok," said Goten as he got on his side of the bed, pulling the covers over his body. Facing away from his friend, he wondered why he was so hurt by Trunks' answer.

Trunks faced away from his friend, pulling his end of the covers over his body. He swore he saw a look of disappointment in Goten's eyes, but he reasoned it was not the case. It was just wishful thinking.

"Night Trunks."