As the work day was ending, Trunks had received a last minute phone call, so he'd told Goten it was all right to leave without him. The call had dragged on longer than he'd expected, and it had been almost twenty minutes before he could leave.
Now he was finally home. On the way to the kitchen, he blinked in surprise. He could feel his husband's ki, but there was something else there as well, something small and delicate.
"Goten?" he called as he entered the kitchen. There was his husband, leaning against the island, and curled up in his arms…
Goten beamed at him. "Look who I found," he whispered. He was cradling a kitten, a small ball of black and brown fur.
"I hope that's not dinner," Trunks said with a soft smirk, leaning down to look at it closer. It looked back at him with wide blue eyes.
"Oh, shush you," Goten chided gently. "When I got here, she was hanging around the front door, mewing. I looked around but I didn't see her mommy or daddy, so I brought her in."
Trunks's smirk melted into a smile. He'd inherited a soft spot for stray animals from his grandfather, who let cats, dogs, and dinosaurs pretty much have the run of Capsule Corp. But it was nothing compared to Goten, who'd never met an animal he didn't love. His heart had enough room for an entire biosphere.
"Can we keep her?"
"Maybe," Trunks said, holding out his palm and letting the kitten sniff it. "We'll have to check around and see if it belongs to anyone else around here. Or maybe its mom or dad will show back up. But otherwise, I don't see why not. Have you fed it?"
"Mmhmm. Gave her some of the chicken from yesterday. She gobbled it all down."
Trunks laughed. "I think she'll fit right in."
-S-B-
Trunks returned to the house; he had been visiting their neighbors to see if any of them knew anything about the kitten. "No luck. Any sign of her parents?"
Goten shook his head. "No, nothing." He was watching the small bunch of fuzz, who was currently curled up asleep on a blanket in the middle of a cardboard box.
"Well, unless they show up, I guess we have ourselves a kitten." He took his husband's hand, giving it a little squeeze. "Any ideas for a name?"
Goten thought for a moment. "Beerus?"
Trunks shot him a look. "No," he said flatly.
-S-B-
Beerus, a purple cat/jackal/thing, had been the most dangerous threat to the world since Majin Buu. Accompanied by his attendant Whis, he had appeared several years ago, claiming to be a "God of Destruction." He had demanded to see a "Super Saiyan God," or else he'd destroy the planet. When they'd told him they didn't know what he was talking about, a fierce battle had ensued.
It had been a close thing. Goku, Vegeta, Buu, and Piccolo had all fought him, and each had fallen in their turn. Goten and Trunks had tried as well, but Gotenks had fared no better. Fortunately, their failure had proven inspiring.
Trunks's counterpart, several years older, and from a dark timeline ravaged by androids, had moved permanently to this world sometime beforehand, taking up the name "Mirai." He and Gohan had seen their "little brothers" perform the Fusion Dance time after time. Now, spurred on by Gotenks, they had put that experience to good use, following in their footsteps.
The resulting fusion, one of unparalleled might, had overwhelmed Beerus, and when the attendant had tried to aid his master, Whis as well. Just before finishing them off, he had asked if their desire to see a "Super Saiyan God" had been satisfied.
Vegeta had taken Beerus's head—the face displaying a very shocked expression—and hung it on the wall of his gravity room.
-S-B-
"Just kidding," Goten said with a giggle, giving Trunks a quick kiss. "I guess we'll have to think of a good name for her."
"Well, there's no rush," Trunks said, giving her fur some gentle strokes. She continued to sleep, shifting minutely. "Let's see, I guess we'll have to make a shopping trip tomorrow. Food…litter and a box…"
The two of them looked at each other. "You take litter box duty," they said simultaneously, and then laughed.
-S-B-
Author's Notes
This is probably the one and only reference I'll make to DRAGON BALL SUPER or anything related to it.