"What do you want?" I ask opening my door up.
"Me and Pan are trying to have a tea party but I need help reaching stuff."
"Use correct English and I'll help you."
"What?" Bra asks me, confused.
"You should say 'Pan and I', not 'me and Pan'. It's improper."
"Whatever Trunks. I just need help."
"Ask mom or dad." I say annoyed.
"Mom is back in the lab and dad's training."
"Well I guess you're shit out of luck. Because if they're busy enough that you won't go ask them, then they're too busy to yell at me."
"Listen Trunks, it's not my problem that you got in trouble. It's your problem. My problem is that I need to get some things for my tea party and I can't reach them."
"Yes Bra, it's your problem. Not mine."
I slam the door in her face.
Bra and Pan start banging on my door.
"Come on Trunks this isn't funny!"
"Just tell on him." I hear Pan whisper. "I always tell on Goten when he bes mean to me."
"I'm gonna tell on you Trunks!" Bra yells.
"Go ahead! I'm already in trouble. A little more won't make a difference."
"Let's go Pan!" Bra says like a total snob on a serious mission of getting someone in trouble.
I'm sure she'll exaggerate the story so I did something totally mean to her and Pan. She is a drama queen for sure.
A few minutes later my door swings open. Of course it's dad. Mom at least has the decency to knock.
"Apologize to your sister." Dad says calmly in a very demanding way. He's probably the only person I know that can be so threatening with such a calm voice. Well, besides my mother.
I sigh a really big sigh. "I won't apologize. If she wants something from me then she needs to find a nicer way of asking me. I won't give in to the demands of my 9 year old sister."
Dad turns to Bra and Pan. "Go wait in the living room. And I'll know if you're outside the door eavesdropping so don't even try it."
Bra rolls her eyes and the two girls turn toward the living room.
Dad closes my door and takes a few steps forward, stopping at the foot of my bed. He doesn't sit down. He doesn't even look at me. It's quiet.
"What do you want?!" I say in a 'bring it on' sort of tone.
"Hey! I'm warning you right now to keep your tone down with me! You raise it like that again and you'll be feeling the back of my hand."
I want to argue back, but I know his threats will become reality. So I scowl my best scowl, yet I still nod my head in agreement.
Dad looks deep in thought like he's trying to find the right words to say without overdoing anything.
"I never had a little sister. I have no idea what it's like. But I grew up on a ship that was full of narks. I can clearly see that a little sister can be a nark."
"Well it's about time." I mumble under my breath. But of course dad catches it. He raises his hand and I all but cower at the sight. He doesn't hit me.
"That was a warning." He says. "Next time you'll feel it."
"Yes sir." I say quietly.
"I know how hard it is to deal with things beyond your control. Your sister abuses her 'cute factor', as your mother calls it."
"No shit." I regret saying that the instant it leaves my lips.
Whack!
I'm backhanded. Just like he said would happen.
"Does this sound like it's not in your favour Trunks?!" Dad asks, growing impatient with my smart ass remarks. "Because if you don't want to hear what I have to say, then I will leave your room right now and you can keep sulking like a pathetic weakling."
"I'm sorry father." I say with my head down. "I'm just upset."
"Well you're upsetting me and when I'm upset, no one is happy. Got it?"
"Yes sir."
"Listen, the point I'm trying to get at is, I'm tired of your sister coming to me with her battles of sibling rivalry. She's going to learn to solve her own problems. And in turn, I want you to be fair with her."
"As long as she can use the words please and thank you, I think we'll get along much better."
"Tell her these things."
"I do! And she still tattles on me!"
I notice my tone was a little defensive. "Sorry dad, I'm not mad at you. I'm just mad. I didn't mean to talk to you like that." I apologize. At least for the sake of my still throbbing face.
"Alright then. I'll have a talk with her too."
He turns to leave.
"Dad?" I ask, stopping him before he reaches the door.
He pauses, which is the okay for me to keep going.
"I'm sorry for the way I acted earlier. I'm sorry I went out and got drunk, even though I knew I shouldn't. And I'm sorry about the things I said."
He nods his head without even looking. And starts to leave once more. But once again my words stop him.
"I didn't really mean what I said. Especially when I said I hated you. I don't hate you dad. I just don't understand you."
"I don't understand you either, Trunks. You're screaming at the top of your lungs that you hate me, and the next minute you're apologizing to me. Don't say things that you don't mean. Never lie to me or your mother. Do you understand me?"
Dad's tone is much softer now. Soft enough that I feel okay to say what I want, without fear of being hit.
"Well I understand that, but I still don't understand you."
Dad sighs and takes a seat on my bed. He must think this could take a while. Otherwise he'd still be standing.
"Like I said earlier, I'm half human. I'm not full blooded Saiyan like you. I can't comprehend the way you work. You show me no respect at all, yet expect me to respect you still. You give me harsh punishments, but don't understand why I get so upset."
"I'm a warrior and a prince. I show no emotion and you better respect me."
"See dad? This is what I mean! You've got such a hard shell that I can't tell if you, well, if you…."
I trail off. I don't even want to say the next few words. It will just give my father more of a reason to be disgusted with me.
"If I what, Trunks?"
"Well you're my father and I love you. But I get the feeling you don't love me."
I feel stupid the second I say that. It's hard to have a conversation like this with my dad.
"With mom, it's easy to tell. I mean, just look at the woman. She's over the top with it. And then there's you."
It's quiet. Quiet for too long. I don't know how long, but it feels like hours. Neither of us say anything. Dad is lost in thought and I'm half expecting him to start yelling at me.
"Can you even imagine me doting on you like your mother does?" Dad asks, not really knowing what else to say.
"No." I say with a little laugh. "But a hug every now and then wouldn't kill you."
"It might." He says a little too seriously.
It's quiet again. I'm tired of silence. Finally he speaks.
"Trunks, you are my son and I am your father. It's a connection that no one can undo, not matter what happens."
"Meaning?" I ask after he pauses like it will go nowhere. Which I'm assuming is what he wants to happen.
"Meaning our bond should not have to be spoken of with petty words. Do you think that I would still be here if I hated you?"
"Well I know you get a lot out of my mother, so that could always be why. And you seem to love Bra."
"Trunks this is a lot harder than I expected it to be. You are more human than I could've ever imagined."
"Oh come on dad! Stop beating around the bush!"
"Beating the what?" He asks confused.
"Beating around the bush. It means to just say what you mean and say it quickly!"
"Okay, listen up. Because you should already know this and I don't want you sulking about it ever again."
I straighten up, intently listening.
"If your mother wasn't the pushiest woman I know, I would never had known you. I wanted to leave you both, even though I knew you were mine. I found myself finding more little reasons here and there to stick around. One day I woke up realizing that I couldn't fool myself any longer. I had a family. And I loved them. And I still do and I always will. Got that?"
A smile slowly spreads across my face. It must be contagious, as dad is slowly getting one too.
"I got it. Thank you for talking with me."Dad humphs. "It's pathetic the way you humans need to talk about things so often."
I just smile again. "Well I'm still thanking you."
Dad smiles back. "You're welcome."
He exits my room and closes the door behind him.
Finished!!!!!!!!!!! Just a short one, but it is my first! Reviews greatly appreciated! Thank you everyone that read my story!!!! =)