Here you go, lovely people! The final chapter already *crowd goes 'booooooo!'*
Apparently I was wrong with my claim previous Sunday. Shortest chapter my ass...Sorry if you thought the story was too short, but I don't think I could've dragged it out for another chapter. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it! Till the next one!
Now please read, review and enjoy!
Hideous as the school's interior may have been, the patio in the middle of the school grounds was the exact opposite. Whoever had been behind renovating the building had a serious amount of money to flaunt. A large part of the patio was located so that it could catch the light of the sun during the better part of the day. From noon until six the place would be very nice and pleasantly warm, making it the ideal place to sit down and do some work.
Gohan liked the patio. Summer had been drawing to a close, much to his chagrin. That's why the patio felt like such a blessing. Here he could relish the final rays of warmth while also doing whatever paper grading he still had left to do.
On the Friday of that particular week Gohan found himself reclining back in one of the chairs, his files for school positioned in his lap and a cup of coffee to his right. He tried his earnest best to focus on the work in front of him, but it seemed that this wasn't a week meant for serious business. He simply couldn't keep his head to it, not with this certain power level that he kept sensing roaming the halls of the school.
It was past four in the afternoon already, so most of the students had gone home. Apart from the unlucky class here and there, the school should be mostly empty by now; none of the teachers liked to linger around after their final lesson of the day. So, the possible reason why Goten was still walking down a hallway somewhere was burning in Gohan's mind like a big, ugly question mark.
He absentmindedly reached for his suitcase and plucked out the bag of mint candies that Cynthia had given him. It had been a hopeless case of trying to show her affection, obviously, but Gohan had still thanked her graciously for them. Food was always appreciated.
He tipped all of his papers into his suitcase. He couldn't stand looking at them any longer; they simply gave him headaches. Perhaps it was best to just pack up everything and go home, celebrate the weekend with his wife and daughter like any normal father would do. But he couldn't. Goten's troubled Ki wouldn't allow him to.
The basic concept of Ki reading was something Gohan could give lectures about for days on end. Over the years he had begun to realize the depths of its potential. It wasn't just a tool for sensing how strong the enemy was. In time he had learned to separate different Ki signals, leaving him able to identify every individual one. Aside from that, Ki reading could also be used to get a bit of a grip on how the owner was feeling. It wasn't extremely precise, but someone who felt troubled had very different fluctuations in their energy than someone who is living the life of their dreams.
At this very moment, Goten felt troubled, to say the least.
Given the knowledge that Gohan had acquired over the past few days, it was almost completely safe to say that he was at the root of the problem. Or he was very strongly tied to it at least. The real issue was a bit deeper than that, but at the moment Gohan himself was the main obstacle to overcome the problem as a whole. It almost made him feel guilty.
He hoped Goten would come over already. Gohan just wanted to end all of this nonsense. He was in a serious need for eight solid hours of sleep, and he felt his life might improve a whole lot if his little brother just looked him in the eyes again, instead of dropping his gaze instantly.
What made it even worse was that Gohan knew. He actually knew what was eating Goten up on the inside. Trunks had been a fantastic help at uncovering this, and for the last two days Gohan had spent his time on the verge of dragging Goten out and confronting him with it. But he couldn't do such a thing. Goten was feeling fragile now. He was confused, most likely even hurt. This wasn't something that should be forced out of him, but he should rather be given the chance to deal with it on his own.
Goten would come to him if he was ready for it.
If only the wait for it wasn't so infuriating.
Gohan groaned audibly. Why couldn't it just be tomorrow already?
His cell phone buzzed in pocket. He fished it out and read his wife's name on the screen, with a pink little heart to the right of it. He smiled. She was probably just going to ask him when he would be home, but even that felt like moral support at a time like this.
He picked up. "Hey honey."
"Hey sweetie," Videl greeted him from the other end of the line. "Hey, how late do you think you'll be home? I have to know so I can turn on the oven on time."
"I was just thinking of packing my stuff up and heading home," Gohan told her. "I'm tired and I have a serious craving for the weekend. And your cooking of course."
He could envision Videl smiling on the other side. "Well then you best hurry up! I'm making sukiyaki and it's smelling de-li-cious!"
"Will do," Gohan said. He reached for his suitcase and starting throwing the remainder of his belongings in. "Oh, by the way, how's Pan been doing?"
"She's been great!" Videl cheered. "She napped for a bit this morning, but when she woke up she was pretty much our little girl again. She played for most of the afternoon, and she almost murdered the cat with one of her Barbies, but she hasn't really been any trouble."
"Great!" Gohan was happy to hear that. Being able to hug a healthy and energetic Pan when he got home would do wonders for his sour mood. "Tell her that Daddy is on his way home then. I should be back in about—"
"Hey?" The sound came from behind him.
Gohan turned around. "Videl, sorry, but I think I might be late for dinner tonight."
"Why? Did anything come up?" Videl asked.
"Not anything, more like somebody," Gohan replied. "It seems that I have company."
He thanked the Gods for having such a compassionate wife. "Sure thing sweetie, I understand. I'll put your dinner in the microwave."
"Thanks darling, see you soon." And then he hung up on her.
Goten was standing about ten feet away from him. His book bag was slowly swinging back and forth along the ground, seemingly forgotten. He didn't seem to be looking at Gohan directly, but rather at the folds of his collar. He was dancing on the balls of his feet.
"Hey," Gohan said, unsure how to react. "What are you doing here?"
It took a while for Goten to actually say something. He dropped his bag and stepped closer to Gohan, but for a while all he seemed to be able to do was stare at his own feet. Gohan took this time to sit down and gesture to the chair beside him, but Goten made no move to take a seat.
"Okay look," Goten began, running a hand through his hair and knocking his cap askew. "I want to talk to you for a minute," he said. But then he frowned. "But I need you to be serious about this."
"What makes you think I wouldn't take it seriously?"
"Well, we haven't exactly been nice to each other lately," Goten said. "I would understand it if want to beat me senseless."
"I thought about that," Gohan confessed. "But then I realized I can still kick your scrawny ass up and down the playing field every day of the week, so that would've made it unfair." He laughed. "C'mon, sit." He tapped the chair beside him.
Goten finally did sit down, but he didn't seem to relax even the littlest bit. He had removed his cap from his head, and he was fidgeting with the golden sticker on top. It unnerved Gohan as well, but he made no comment on it.
Goten scraped his throat. "First of all,' he hesitated for a split second, but then continued. "First of all I would like to apologize," he hung his head and tossed his cap aside like a dirty rag. "There is no excuse for behaving the way I did, I'm sorry."
Gohan smiled and felt his mood turn for the better. His features softened and he reached out his hand, placing it on his brother's knee. He gave it a firm squeeze.
"Apology accepted," he said. "And I mean that," Goten looked up at him. "I'm really happy that you came by to make amends."
"Well it wasn't exactly easy."
"I know it wasn't," Gohan said. "That's why I admire you for it."
Goten managed a weak smile. "I really am sorry for acting like such a jerk. I probably confused the hell out of you."
"You did at first," Gohan told him. "But then I figured you might have your reasons. I suppose that is the 'second of all' you want to talk about."
Goten nodded. "I wanted to tell you what I was feeling then," and then slowly, "Even though I still don't get about half of it."
Gohan patted his little brother on the shoulder. "Hey, being a teenager is always confusing, don't blame yourself for it."
"I suppose I just wanted to act tough," Goten said. "I didn't know how other people would respond to me, or if they would even like me in the first place."
Gohan raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you're afraid of being bullied," he tried to refrain from snickering, and gave Goten a look that screamed 'concerned teacher'.
"Oh, no," Goten exclaimed, his hands rising in defence. "God no. Like I would let any bully get the better of me."
"You better not, or else I have to tell Vegeta on you." The brothers shared a laugh, both of them genuinely forgetting the tension for a moment. After that, Goten reverted right back to being awkward.
"I guess it's safe to say I just didn't know how to handle this new situation I was in," Goten said. "Nobody knows what it's like to be ripped from the mountains and thrown in the middle of society." Gohan could only stare.
"Well, aside from you, of course," Goten corrected himself. "Anyhow, that's why I was dressed so ridiculously."
Gohan didn't say anything; he knew that Goten would further elaborate anyway.
"But aside from that, something else was bugging me," Goten vented his feelings. "And it still is. I'm not sure how to handle it."
This was the part that Gohan was most intent on getting out in the open. He sat up from his laidback position, and turned to look Goten in the eye properly. "Tell me about it."
"I don't know," Goten suddenly hesitated. He tried his best to look away, but Gohan kept his stare fixed. Goten sighed. "It's just that... I don't…"
Gohan allowed his sibling to find the right words. Someone in deep conflict with himself always has to be the one to make the first move, that's what Gohan believed.
"Okay," Goten had obviously decided. He drew a deep breath and spoke, "It's like this: Lately, and by that I mean for I don't how long, I've been having these… these feelings. That's the only way I can describe them. I really don't know what to make of them. Or, well, I do know, and I'm just not willing to give into them just yet."
There was another deep inhale. "So as you may or may not understand, these feelings are driving me fucking insane. Really, it eat less because of them, I sleep far worse than I used to. And because they just won't leave me the fuck alone…" Goten exhaled sharply, and then pressed his palms firmly against his temples, "They're literally driving me mad, and I've been taking my anger out on you. FUCK!"
Goten's hand curled into fists. "I can't believe I did that to you."
Gohan didn't doubt for an instant. Before Goten could make a single move, his big brother had already taken him into a firm embrace. Goten was trembling all over, and Gohan felt his shoulders strain painfully when Goten hugged him back for comfort. The elder brother rubbed the other's back slowly. It took a long time for Goten to relax a bit, but when he did, he sighed. It was like he breathed off all of his concerns and worries.
"Thank you," he said, looking at Gohan. He wiped the corners of his eyes with his sleeves. "I needed that."
"No worries," Gohan smiled at him. "I'm just glad that we're on the same page again."
"Yeah, me too," Goten managed a watery smile in return. "Even still, I owe you an explanation."
Gohan shrugged. "I know this is difficult for you. You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to."
"But that's the thing," Goten quipped. "I want to tell you. It's just that I don't really know how."
"Do it like it's a band aid, do it quick and be done with it," Gohan proposed. "Or you could just let it fester inside, like all grown-ups do."
"Okay, here goes," Goten began. "I came here to tell you that… I wanted to let you know that… I think you should know…" None of the sentences he started actually had an end to them. While Goten was getting more and more frustrated, Gohan was finding it increasingly harder to keep from laughing.
"UGH!" Goten groaned. "I don't know how to say this!"
"You think you might be gay."
"Huh? I… What?!" Goten gaped at him, wide-eyed and blinking slowly.
"You think you might be gay," Gohan repeated. He sat there in his chair, smiling and awaiting his little brother's reply. He was curious whether Goten would confirm or deny.
Goten's hands reached for his hair, tying it in knots around his fingers. He stood up from his chair and began to pace, murmuring to himself under his breath. The poor kid looked a bit delirious.
"Just… How in the name…" He glanced at Gohan every few seconds or so, maybe checking whether or not he had just taken a step out of reality.
Goten suddenly stood still and looked at Gohan with eyes that almost seemed desperate. He almost whispered, "How?"
"How?"
It was like he stood there for ages, waiting for an answer to come. All Gohan did was sit there, and smile for some reason that Goten couldn't comprehend. Not that he could really get a grip on anything right now; left was right, Monday was twelve o'clock and elephants did the hokey-pokey. His brains felt like a thunderstorm had passed though.
"It wasn't that hard to figure out," Gohan eventually did speak. Goten tore his gaze away from his trembling fingertips to look Gohan in the eyes. That smile was still there, never wavering. "It was kind of like trying to piece together a jigsaw puzzle. All I had to do was find the right pieces."
Goten could still barely speak. He managed to croak out another "How?", but nothing else useful left his lips.
Gohan snickered. "Well, just like you already told me yourself, I quickly figured out, with the help of our old man, that you were obviously trying to impress someone with that attitude of yours. Someone that made you feel butterflies in your stomach to boot."
Today must've been Opposite Day. "Dad helped you figure out that?!"
His older brother laughed at his stupefaction. "Yeah, I know it sounds unlikely, but it's true," he cleared his throat. "Anyhow, I spent about a whole week trying to figure out which girl could turn your head upside down like that. I was about to give up hope, but at the time I didn't know that girls weren't even in the picture. Want anything to drink?" He pointed at his own forgotten coffee, now cold.
Goten nodded slowly. It was amazing to see how incredibly natural Gohan was acting about it. Normal people wouldn't just go and get coffee in the middle of outing their little brothers.
"Tea?" Gohan asked.
"I hate tea," Goten replied absentmindedly. "I thought you knew that."
"Oh right, sorry," Gohan chuckled and scratched his neck. "I'll get you some hot chocolate then. It seems to be the Saiyan's Special this week." And with that he was off.
Goten felt his pulse beating in his temples. His entire world had just been turned around and shaken violently. He never expected Gohan to be anything less than okay about this, but he had never anticipated that Gohan actually knew it already. Furthermore, it even seemed to amuse his big brother to some degree.
It had taken Goten months to actually accept it as a part of his life. He had never hated himself over it, not even in the slightest. Feelings were something that he didn't always have control over, this being the evidence to prove it. Yet he felt like a punctured balloon; he was about to pop from the strain when Gohan had just poked him with the needle of truth.
Videl was right, of course she was. Gohan didn't seem to have any issues with him. He still didn't blame himself for fearing his sibling's judgement though; Gohan had always been a role model in his life, maybe even more so than Goku.
Gohan returned, carrying two cups on a platter. He set it down on small table between the two chairs, scooping the mugs off and handing one to Goten. The younger brother took it with fingers that were still shaking lightly, but at least he was gaining back control. Goten sat down, mirroring Gohan's actions.
"So, where were we?" Gohan asked, sipping his tea in total relaxation.
"We uhm," It was still very hard to say. "We were talking about 'how girls weren't even in the picture'."
"Oh right," Gohan turned in his seat. "Well, like I said, for some time I actually thought you were chasing skirts. Believe it or not, but we Sons seem to be something like lady magnets."
Goten actually found it in himself to laugh at that. "Well of course we are. Just look at our pretty faces; there's no denying it."
"Indeed there isn't," Gohan smirked. Arrogance wasn't in their genes, but a good sense of humour definitely was. "Too bad the ladies can't claim that pretty looker of a Goten though, boy will they be beat."
"And the women will cry through the centuries," Goten chipped in. Then the feeling of laughter subsided. "So, how did you find out anyway? Where was the missing piece?"
"Believe it or not," Gohan sipped his tea again. "It came to me in the form of this adorable purple-haired boy."
Goten nearly spat out his hot chocolate, and then gasped. "Trunks told you?!"
"Well he didn't exactly tell me, but what he did say helped me figure it all out," Gohan explained. "Oh, and great to see that you agree Trunks is adorable!" he lifted his mug in a celebratory fashion.
"And what's your basis to prove this?" Goten queried, ignoring the remark but still turning red in the cheeks.
"That Trunks is adorable?"
"Gohan…."
"Right, right, hold your horses. Remember the few years before and after Buu did his business on Earth?" Gohan asked. When his little brother nodded, he continued, "Well back then you were always trying to upstage Trunks. You would flex your muscles and get all prissy when he beat you at sparring. Well you haven't been acting a whole lot differently the past few weeks."
Goten soaked these words in carefully. Had he been so obvious about it all? Perhaps it was that reversed psychology that parents always loved so much, playing its nasty and ironic tricks.
"Trunks reminded me of that too," Gohan divulged. "And then I suddenly remembered how much sass you were giving me in front of the school during the second week of term. There wasn't anybody around but Trunks. When I thought of that, it all just sort of clicked in my head."
"Yeah, I suppose it was a bit obvious…" Goten truly wanted to feel relief wash over him, but it didn't. It was great to finally be able to speak his heart to someone, and it was even more fantastic that that person was Gohan, but now all of a sudden a hurdle on the path to peace and acceptance had been cleared and the other hurdles were coming into view. One of them seemed impossible to jump.
"Are you going to tell him?" Gohan asked, as if he could read Goten's mind. "Because, in my humble opinion, I really think you should."
Goten shrugged. He felt like he had just swallowed a brick, and he reckoned his face looked like it too. "I really want to tell him, but I'm afraid." Goten bit his lip. "I'm afraid that he'll be repulsed. I'm afraid that he won't speak to me anymore. Hell, I'm even terrified of the mere idea of having to tell him."
"Are you in love with him?" Gohan asked. Goten felt big hands encircling his, pressing them onto the mug he was apparently still holding. The warmth felt nice on his palms.
Goten swallowed. He didn't look up at Gohan, but he nodded nonetheless.
"Well, I think that Trunks will be totally cool about it," Gohan assured him. Goten wanted to believe him, but wasn't sure if he couldn't.
"Trunks is as straight as they come, though," Goten reminded his brother. "You know how proud he is of his porn stash. He's all into girls with big tits and unnatural blondes."
Gohan laughed. "He seems to be, but perhaps he'd be interested in playing for the other team as well," he nudged Goten with his elbow, who couldn't resist the temptation to laugh. Gohan's tendency to crack jokes in the most awkward situations could be a gift from the heavens sometimes.
"How should I go about it then?" Goten asked. His hand went to his neck. "Trunks isn't exactly uncomfortable with his masculinity. Even if he is cool about me being gay, he'll still feel completely exposed one way or another. I suppose it's just a guy thing."
Gohan smiled. "Do whatever feels best. Tell him, or write to him. You can kiss him, or possibly ram it into his thick skull with your fists, since that always seems to work. It's all up to you. I can't help you decide. As with all matters of the when you know… you just do. You can't miss it."
And then it was all resolved. Just like that, like the flick of a switch. Gohan should've just quit teaching school and become a poet instead. Goten now felt determined to put his worries behind him. Trunks wouldn't hate him simply for his sexuality; Goten himself was being a fool for even suspecting him of it.
Gohan saw him smile. "Better now?" he asked.
"Lots," Goten replied. "Thanks a lot, Gohan. I suppose there's nothing as scary as fighting Buu or Lord Bills. Telling my best friend I'm madly in love with him seems like child's play now."
Gohan laughed heartily. "Ease it down with the sarcasm, will you. I just want you to realize that there's nothing wrong with being gay. It's completely natural, and you should never let anyone tell you otherwise."
"Don't worry about that," Goten drank a bit. The taste of chocolate was heavenly now that his mood had brightened. "If they do, I'll just punch them to the moon."
"That's what they deserve for making gay Saiyans angry. If they think that's unnatural, wait until you kick them through a skyscraper."
"Well obviously they'll find my kicks absolutely fabulous," Goten joked. The brothers laughed together, a deep and pleasant rumble resounding across the school patio.
"Hey, sorry to have to ask this," Gohan set aside his empty tea glass. "But… why Trunks? Why couldn't you have picked out a nicer boy to fall in love with? Like Chad for example."
Goten pressed a hand to his mouth. His shoulders quaked and his face grew red in his mute fit of laughter. Soon he was hitching for breath, wiping some wetness away from the corners of his eyes.
When he finally came to a bit, he managed to speak through the occasional after quake, "Have you seen him?"
"Yes I have," Gohan said, his face forced into seriousness. "Pretty eyes that one has, but there's also that nasty attitude from time to time."
Goten grew red again, giggling almost childishly. He buried his face in his hands, so his voice sounded muffled, "Oh god, I can't believe I'm talking about boys with my brother."
"Well squirt, you better get used to it, because I'm obligated to do that, being your big brother and all."
Goten got up from his chair. The two siblings crossed gazes, two sets of dark eyes twinkling joyfully. They embraced, gripping each other tightly.
"Thank you," Goten almost whispered.
"No problem, squirt."
Goten pulled back from the hug, and simply remained standing for a moment. He said nothing, but simply took a few seconds to enjoy the peace of soul he suddenly felt. It had been far too long.
Eventually he turned to Gohan. "Say, I'm gonna head out for the time being. You should too; I think the wife wants you home."
"Yeah, you're probably right," Gohan said. He stood up as well, picking up his briefcase and stretching his back the way one might do after a long day at work. "So, what are you going to do now?"
Goten contemplated this for a few seconds, "I suppose I'll go home and get me a lot of good sleep tonight. I'll go over to Trunks's house tomorrow and tell him. Better get it out of the way quickly, especially since I'm still brewing with confidence."
"Good luck with that," Gohan said, smiling. "And let me know how it goes, okay?"
"Obviously," Goten replied. "Got any tips that might help me?"
"Yes, I've got one. Kiss him gently when you do. Guys don't appreciate a random head-butt."
"Daddy, Daddy!" Pan came running into the den, little arms flailing excitedly. "Daddy! There's someone at the door. Do you know who it is?"
Gohan looked up from his novel and smiled at his little princess. "Well I don't know sweetheart, maybe you can tell me. Can you feel who it is?" He had been teaching Pan the basics of Ki reading, and the girl was catching on very quickly.
Pan contorted her face in utmost concentration, thinking deeply. Then her face brightened. "It's Uncle Goten, Daddy!"
"Well why don't we go answer the door then," Gohan said. He rose from his chair and scooped his daughter up from the floor, putting her on his shoulders in the way he knew she absolutely adored. Father and child crossed the den and the living room. The front door swung open with just the softest shriek of protest.
Goten stood on the other side, smiling and his arms wide. Pan wasted no time and leaped from Gohan's shoulder, crashing into her favourite and only uncle.
It had been two months since the scene in the patio of the school had unfolded. Goten and Gohan were getting along better than ever, much to the surprise of Goten's fellow classmates. The boy had also made a very serious change in attire; he wore a crisp white blouse and jeans that actually fitted. He looked like Goten again.
Despite the fact that the two brothers were once again two peas in the same pod, there were still some things that remained open for discussion. Goten had kept silent about his talking to with Trunks. It wasn't surprising in any sense; he had had to rake together the courage and tell his best friend that he was in love with him. The nerves he must've felt were probably comparable to those of a man diffusing a nuclear war head.
Gohan didn't really need to hear the story, even if he wanted to. Goten and Trunks were still always hanging around each other at school. Gohan figured he noted a sense of awkwardness radiating from the purple-haired kid, but that had faded fast enough. It was all good, yet the teacher would still want to hear how their conversation had gone. He felt obliged to it, thanks to the Big Brother Curse. He would ask the kid over dinner; prying something loose out of a Son was best done with a plate of food in front of them.
"Hey Gohan," Goten stuck up his hand and grinned broadly. Gohan returned the greeting. Goten piped up "Hey listen, I kind of invited somebody over today, I hope that's no big deal?"
Gohan raised his eyebrows, but didn't object. He simply nodded and Goten relaxed visibly at this. Maybe he should go warn Videl; if he had invited Trunks it would be a wise decision to cook two extra pans of macaroni, just for safety.
"Come on in," Gohan said, waving Goten inside. "Videl's already busy making us dinner; it shouldn't take more than an hour."
"Sure thing," Goten replied. He made certain that Pan was safely seated on his neck, and then stepped inside the apartment. His nostrils flared when the smells reached him. "God, it smells fantastic. You're so lucky with that wife of yours."
"You can say that again," Gohan laughed. "It's not that I don't know how to cook, but I am more used the unconventional way of preparing meals." He recounted his days in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, where Ki cooking had almost turned into a sport.
"Mind coming with me to the balcony?" Goten asked. He tapped the pocket of his blouse. Gohan gave him a sharp look, to which Goten replied, "Hey, I'm trying my best to quit. Besides, Mom told me she'd whack me in the head with her frying pan if she even saw me smoking ever again. I'd like to keep my skull intact, thank you very much."
Five minutes later they were seated on the rusted lawn chairs Videl had managed to take for a dime or two at some random garden sale. Gohan's wife refused to have her family name buy her luxury, and wanted to work for every penny herself. Pan had gone off to play in the living room, all pepped up and excited thanks to Goten's promise of playing the entire evening.
Goten lit his cigarette and inhaled slowly. Gohan ignored the smell.
"Well, where to start, where to start," Goten said. Smoke swirled from his nostrils. "We have more catching up to do than I actually thought."
"Why don't you start at what you did after you left the patio," Gohan suggested. "Pick things up right where we left them off."
"Okay, sure," Goten seemed to be digging in his mind. "Well, I wanted to get me a good eight hours before confronting Trunks about my situation. I got them all right, but not before I got cornered by Mom."
Gohan raised his eyebrows. "What was her problem?"
"She had found the pack of smokes in my school bag two days earlier," Goten confessed. "Also, the school had called her about me skipping two days of classes. She was not happy about that."
"Go figure."
"Right," Goten said. He tapped some ashes from his cigarette. "Anyhow, she wanted to know what I've been up to lately. She began asking me why I treated you the way I did, and why I had been so silent for so long. So I told her."
Gohan smiled at his little brother. He was impressed and he wanted to show it. Chi-Chi was the woman who was badgering her children to get married and make babies, even if those children were only six years old. Having to tell her that Pan might be the only grandchild she was ever going to have was treading into the lion's den.
"How did she react?" Gohan asked. "Angry, or upset, or anything?"
Goten shook his head. "She and Dad were really cool about it. I always knew that Dad wouldn't make a big deal out of it, and I suspect Mom of secretly wishing this would happen. I suppose she needs someone else to talk to about men other than Bulma."
"How come they haven't talked to me about this, though?" Gohan questioned. "I figured they would want to confide in me. You know, to help spare your tender feelings and all."
"I told them to wait until I gave them the green light," Goten answered. "I told them I wanted to tell everyone myself."
'Ah, wise beyond your years," Gohan said. "Okay, and then what happened?"
Goten inhaled from his cigarette. His words came out in white wisps. "I got a good night of sleep, and the day after that I went to Capsule Corps to tell Trunks."
"How did he respond?"
Goten chuckled. "Well at first I only told him, 'Trunks, I'm gay'. He was completely baffled, of course."
"Did he go all wide-eyed and uncomfortable?" Gohan asked, smirking. Trunks didn't seem to have any problem with gay people. Debunking his masculinity however, was dangerous territory.
"Of course he did, you know him," Goten laughed happily. He threw the remainder of his cigarette over the balcony, taking a few seconds to watch it plummet to the earth below. "But then I also had to tell him about… well, you know what I mean."
Gohan nodded. "I take it that he was okay about it. He doesn't seem to act any different when I see you two in class."
"He was, he was," Goten grew a wide and happy smile. "It took him a while to process, and he was a bit uncomfortable with it at first, but I think that he'll be okay. He knows just as well as I do that this'll all pass eventually."
"And then what? Did you guys game all day without speaking another word about it?" Much to his surprise, Goten shook his head. The tinge of pink that crawled across his cheeks didn't go unnoticed either.
"What did you do?" Gohan asked again, his curiosity now peaking.
"It's a bit embarrassing," Goten said shyly. He clapped a hand to his mouth to stifle a giggle. "You're probably not going to believe this, but…"
"But what?"
Goten sighed and simply blurted out the words, "We kissed."
Gohan needed a good reality check, possibly a smack in the face, or something along those lines. He realised that his mouth was open, so he closed it. "You kissed? I mean, did you kiss him or…"
"No, I didn't," Goten confessed. "That's why it's unbelievable. After I told him how I felt about him, he was silent for a few minutes. After that he just kept staring at me for some reason I didn't understand. It was a bit creepy, you know? I had spent so long trying to avoid his eyes, and now they were on me like he was trying to burn a hole right through me."
"Okay, just for the record," Gohan said, rubbing his temples in confusion. "Trunks kissed you?"
Goten nodded. He tried to refrain from smiling, but his lips still twitched. "Yes, he did. I eventually asked him why he was staring at me like that. He replied with 'I just have to try something', and then he just grabbed my face and kissed me."
Gohan tried his best to make sense of this, but the elephants dancing the hokey-pokey in his mind wouldn't allow it. "And then what?"
"After that he told me he was sorry," Goten said, shrugging. "You should've seen him; he felt so bad. He was sorry that he couldn't be gay for me, I think."
"Trunks wanted to be gay for you?"
"Yes, apparently, but he couldn't," Goten smiled. "But that's okay. I managed to vent my feelings, and I actually got to kiss him, so I figure it's a win-win situation."
Gohan was getting a grip on himself again. He smirked, "Was he any good?"
"Surprisingly enough, yes he was," Goten said. "A bit sloppy with the tongue, but I reckon it was his first kiss too."
"Please," Gohan begged. "Too much information. I don't have to know how Trunks is with his tongue."
"Hey, you asked for it yourself."
"And I already regret it."
"You really have to sort out your priorities," Goten shook his head and chuckled.
"Well it's good to see you're doing so great," Gohan told his little brother. "I was worried you would get all depressed again, but I suppose I was wrong about that," Pan could be heard from the living room, hopefully doing something not so destructive. Gohan nudged his head at the balcony door. "What do you say we go inside?"
"Fine with me," Goten said. The two brothers went back into the apartment. Pan immediately joined them, chit-chatting happily about some of the new toys Daddy had bought her the week before.
"Say, Goten, how late will Trunks get here?" Gohan asked. The kitchen smelt better by the second, and it seemed that dinner would be served sooner than anticipated.
"Trunks isn't coming over," Goten told him.
"Then who is?" And right then the doorbell rang.
Goten smirked. "Speak of the Devil…" He went for the front door and opened it. Gohan immediately recognized the boy on the other side; the kid was a grade higher up than Goten was. Gohan also taught him literature. If he remembered correctly the guy was named Kay. Kay stood a few inches taller than Goten, with dirty blonde hair falling into his face. He was rather skinny and wore a belt made of bullets. So Goten liked the more alternative guys. Duly noted.
Goten hugged Kay, laying his head on his shoulder and sighing contently. Gohan was almost sure he could hear his little brother whisper "I missed you."
How sweet and endearing, Goten's first boyfriend. Of course it wasn't anything Gohan had expected, but hey, life was full of surprises. Like the way Goten softly kissed Kay on the lips when he thought Gohan wasn't looking.
"Awwwwww!" Videl had walked into the room, carrying a gigantic pan of macaroni and cooing loudly. "Look at them Gohan, aren't they cute together?"
The two lovebirds immediately released each other, cheeks turning a rather aggressive shade of red.
"Yeah they are," Gohan chipped in, "But I do have to ask them to keep their tongues to themselves when there are children in the room."
Goten chuckled and scratched his neck. "Yeah, sorry about that. I'm still kind of new to all of this."
"No problem," Gohan waved it off. "It's not as bad as having to hear how Trunks kisses."
"Oh, I heard he was pretty good!" Kay teased an ever embarrassed Goten. He then threw an arm around him. "Sorry love, you know I like to tick you off."
"Well you better watch it with that," Goten warned him. "Cause if you hurt my achy-breaky heart, you've got Gohan to deal with."
"That's right," Gohan said. "Just so you're warned up front."
Kay laughed loudly. "Oh hell," he said. "Just my luck. Of all the boys to fall in love with, I just have to go and pick the teacher's pet."
Shocked? Surprised? Let me know in the reviews, and thank you, dear reader, for sticking with me on the ride to the end :)
"As with all matters of the when you know… you just do. You can't miss it." This absolutely brilliant quote is from my great, great friend ~Boboleta. Thanks a ton for letting me use it! You can find the quote itself in the story Matters of the Heart, which can be found on Team Dragon Star's page (check my profile for the link).
See you and take care!