Author's Note: I LIIIIVE!!! Sorry for the late update, just been busy getting back into the swing of things as a fulltime worker. I forgot how exhausting it can be! Anyway, so here we go. I thiiiink we're nearing the conclusion of my story. Maybe a chapter or two more? We'll see how it works out. :)

Words to Know for this chapter:

"Miyama-siro-cho" - this is a species of butterfly that's indigenous to parts of China/Japan.

As always, please, please be sure to review! I really do enjoy seeing what y'all think!!

These Daydreams, Okay!

Chapter 13: Cassius!

"Like this?"

"No, no… put it this way…"

"Ouch! Goten, I don't know if I like this…"

"Do you want to do this or not?"

"Well, you're crowding me."

There in the backyard of the Son household on Mount Paozu, it was a classic scene. Even Bra couldn't deny the perfection of the day, which seemed to just be getting better and better as it progressed. The season's dwellers were singing, the sun was high in the cloudless sky. Goten had his arms about her, enfolding her own arms into a proper position. The base of his palms rested on the backs of her hands.

The Miyama-siro-cho fluttering on the refreshing breeze weren't the only butterflies active that day. Bra did her best not to squirm in the comfortable nook Goten had built around her as she steadied the heels of her hands against each other. She was feeling a little bit lacking today – she hadn't made much progress on her mission, caught up instead in their lessons. He seemed to get so absorbed in the art, in the movements, and it fascinated her. And she had to admit, a few times during their handful of sessions, she found herself preoccupied with the motions than with her conquest.

Must be a Saiyajin thing, she thought to herself. At any rate, there was nothing that could take her mind off Goten's proximity now, especially as his chest (his hot, damp, muscular chest) pressed closer against her back. With the greatest effort, Bra kept herself from swooning.

"Now," Goten began against her ear, apparently unaware of any effects his propinquity might generate. "You're going to pull back slowly, drawing the energy in. Concentrate on pulling the energy out of your center," his palm hovered over her midriff, and his fingertips radiated heat. How could he not feel this? "…And focus it into your hands."

"And after that?" Bra breathed, barely able to contain herself.

Unfettered and jovial, Goten patted her hip playfully before he returned his hand against her own in the previous stance. "After that, hopefully you have pretty good aim, 'cause it should be all over then!" Childish grin aside, he narrowed his gaze down at her. "You think you got it?"

It was a challenge in its own right. Bra turned just slightly in his arms, fixing him with a smirk and arching a single brow. "Oh, I so got this," she assured him in what could only be considered a purr. Twisting back into place, satisfied with his slight blush, she set her gaze upon the distance, already imagining something – besides Goten's eyes – smoldering. "Don't doubt that for a second, buckaroo."

"Then show me what you've got."

That was all the egging on she needed. Her lids drifted down, and Bra focused on herself. She could draw up her energy with ease now, though she still had a bit of trouble with concentration of her ki.

From behind, Goten observed the scrunching of her facial features. He was mesmerized by the knit of her brow, the way her mouth pulled downward in her meditation. Her enthusiasm for their training had initially caught him off guard; he really hadn't predicted the level of dedication she had exhibited. Granted, they hadn't met more than four times, but with each session, she improved significantly.

And Goten found that, with a tug on his stomach, the more they trained together, the closer he felt he had to be to her. Even now, with Bra trapped between his arms, Goten still felt he wasn't near enough to her. This definitely concerned him.

He saw her picking it up. It was so subtle that, if he hadn't been watching her so intently, he definitely would've missed it. Her eyebrow twitched just so, and in that moment he felt the warmth gathering in between her hands. Resisting the urge to fold her hands in with his, Goten braced his hands in a mirror of her own. "That's it…" he encouraged, unable to fight his proud grin. "Now, bring it back. Ka…"

Bra followed his instructions, keeping her lashes firmly tucked against her cheeks as she maintained focus. Following the gentle movements of his hands, she twisted her connected hands. "Ka…"

"Me…"

"Ha…"

"Me…"

Her heartbeat was racing in her ears. She could barely make out his breath on her hair or the crackling energy in her hands. When Bra felt her heart pause, she opened her eyes and sent the ki blast firing off with a forceful push.

"HA!!"

White-blue energy shot through the air and into the distant hills as warm air billowed backward from the flare. It was short-lived, but the rush sent rivers of adrenaline flooding through Bra's veins. After the moment of awe passed, the girl lit up instantly with a shrill squeal.

Spinning around in Goten's arms, Bra grasped at his shirt enthusiastically. "I did it! Yattaaaa!!" Her cry of victory was punctuated with her arms thrust upward into the sky, fists clenched tight.

Unable to do much more than chuckle, Goten left his hands at her elbows as he grinned proudly down at her. "Very impressive," he praised on a laugh, which stuttered out as Bra launched herself into him. His air passage locked as her arms wrapped around his neck in a vice grip. He shuddered at her warm cheek against his neck, at the rich scent of her hair, at her giggles vibrating into him.

Still reeling, Bra eagerly drew away from his neck and landed three quick, feverish pecks along his cheek, jaw, and finally, to his mouth.

The engine in him whirred into life at once. Instinctually, Goten's hands snaked to her waist, pulling her in closer, and Bra melted against him as her mind soared in the wake of her small triumph.

Success tastes kind of tangy.

A tiny moan slipped in between their mouths as Goten invaded her, and he drew back from her immediately. "No," he huffed as she stepped away, and he doubled over with the effort it took not to reach out for her again. He kept his gaze diverted to the ground as he planted his palms against his thighs, drawing in deep calming breaths.

The piercing shout of frustration startled him. When Goten found the strength to look up at her, he found her gaping at him in something close to fury.

"This was mean of you, Bra," he griped after a moment and he straightened up. Her indignation made it plain to him; underhanded plotting had been the foundation of her seeking lessons.

With a sneer, Bra crossed her arms over her waist, her head tilted up in derisive observation of his realization. "Goten, you're not that dumb." A small step closer to him, and her condescending glower was morphing into a smirk. "Like you didn't have the ittiest, bittiest inkling?"

"Doesn't make it right," Goten scolded her, slowly becoming wary of her advance.

She rolled her eyes toward the sky and settled her hands over the curve of her waist. "Okay, so then why'd you agree? I mean," Bra began to draw her words out as she inched closer, "if you kind of, maybe, sort of knew…"

He hated himself as he looked upon her, nowhere near resembling the little girl he once knew. "I wanted to see how you move," he admitted grudgingly, feeling her heavy hooded eyes break into his chest and squeeze the determination out of him.

When her clement palms fell against his chest, Goten knew he wasn't getting out of here alive. Her cyan eyes sought out his dark gaze, and he was rewarded for his compliance with a playfully smile. "And what do we think of how I move?" Her question was breathy and girlish, all teasing, and he knew that she knew she would win.

The angle and inclination of her head was the perfect setup to steal a kiss. She was begging him to do so. Here, in broad daylight, protected by the seclusion of his family's homestead, where prying eyes could not judge or threaten. His morals were thick in his throat, but Goten swallowed them down as he leant inward.

"Goten! Yo!"

Both froze mid-moment. Bra's eyes flashed when she saw Goten's resolve build back up and he wiggled back from her. "Shit," she hissed through clenched teeth, her gaze skirting into her peripheral to find Son Gohan approaching the duo. Licking her lips, Bra took an appropriate step away and tried her best to smile cattily at the advancing Son.

Goten, meanwhile, could already feel his brother's curious inspection of the situation. "Oniichan," his voice wavered on its way out, and Goten could feel his insides shrivel up as Gohan's eyes narrowed in on the Briefs heiress. "What's up, man?"

"Just was gonna drop off some of the money for mom's car's repairs," Gohan muttered, focused on eyeing Bra. "Bra-chan, it's been a while," he greeted with apprehension, and he sent his attention sailing over the yard. "Is Trunks around, too?"

"No," Bra really tried very hard to sound pleasant enough. Really, she did. But when all your hard work is foiled by inappropriately timed visits from relatives… "Just me."

"Just … you?" Apparently, this was a concept Gohan had difficulty wrapping his brain around and he looked between the younger two. "Were you looking for Pan? She was—"

"Nope."

Goten gawked at Bra's frankness, and he felt crimson creeping into his cheeks. "Yeah, so!" He jutted his open hand into his brother's line of vision – consequently, in between Gohan's view of Bra's snide little smile. "If you wanna, I can just give mom the money when she gets back? She's getting groceries now."

Gohan's suspicions were not quelled. With a curt nod in Bra's direction, he returned his attention upon his flustered brother. "What's going on, Goten?"

A little more than annoyed with his prying, Bra snorted and rolled her shoulders as she began forward across the lawn. "Nothing, Gohan-san," she all but snapped, and as she breezed by the boys, she glowered in Goten's direction. "I'm going to head home. Thanks for the lesson, Goten."

She didn't sound so appreciative, and Goten grimaced at her departing figure. "…Matte! Bra!" He called after her and, doing his best to avert his gaze from his brother's scornful staring, Goten jogged up after her. He caught her by the elbow a few scant paces from her aircar.

Bra whirled on him, her arm yanked out of his grasp. "Nani?" She sulked, a much less attractive scowl screwing up her features. He really hated this petulance on her. How could she go from seductress to pouty princess in such a short span of time?

Goten spared a wayward glance across to his still-peering brother. Lowering his voice, he offered as a means to placate, "I'll call you, okay?"

"Not good enough," she spat, her arms folding protectively over herself. Goten should've been pleased to see her closing herself off. This is what they would need right now, right? Instead, he felt his mind racing for a way to stop her before she shut down on him completely.

With a groan, Goten rolled his eyes and stepped closer to her, his voice dropping further into a hush. "Don't do this in front of him," he pleaded, and was comforted seconds later by her consideration of Gohan behind him. "It's not…" He trailed off, unsure of which thing this situation was not.

Appropriate? Favorable? You?

Her frown lessened, and Goten's worries began to fade quickly. "Fine," she puffed, settling a narrowed look upon the youngest Son brother. Doing his best to conceal his motions, Goten pressed his hand against her forearm. However, Bra did not seem to be entirely appeased, and she drifted away from him and toward her car. The jingle of keys and the slam of metal were followed by the howl and gusto of her aircraft's engines as it lifted up.

Goten couldn't help but feel a little wounded when he couldn't catch her gaze before she took off. With a sigh, he turned to face his brother, who was a caricature of disapproval and shock.

"What … the hell … was that?"

}{

"Well, you can't expect that from him," came the tender voice at the other end.

But Bra was not seeking comfort or kind tones. "I don't care! I know he likes me," she growled, her fist tightening against the steering wheel. "You do, too. I know you do, Marron. What has he told you about me? Tell me!"

Her command went unheeded. "That's between him and me," Marron told her firmly. "Now, I really must go. My boyfriend's over—"

"Ugh, gross," Bra groaned into the phone, mock-gagging on her end.

"—So I'll talk to you later, mmkay?"

With a sigh, Bra rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure. Enjoy your evening, Marron-chan."

Her aircar descended into the parking space attached the Capsule Corporation compound. Once landed, Bra made haste to exit her car, ready to be inside her home and away from her failure.

"Is it really a failure? I mean, he almost—" Bra babbled to herself as a means to comfort her sunken pride, though she quieted upon entrance to her home. A familiar ki within the compound unnerved her, and the girl tilted her head to seek it out. There was no way she was…

"Bra?" Pan's voice whispered from the corner, and Bra wheeled around, aghast. "What took you so long!?" Her friend seethed and approached her briskly, the girl's hands gripping anxiously at her own ebony locks.

"What the hell are you even doing here?!" Bra's voice dipped into a furious whisper as she scanned the atrium of the home. "I'm supposed to be at your place! You can't be here!"

"Yeah, that would be all well and good … if you had TOLD me," Pan groused. "You have fallen off, Bra. Seriously."

A weakness struck her in the knees, and Bra had to struggle to keep standing. "…I forgot to call you," she realized on a shaky exhale. "Shit, do my parents--?"

"Bra! Get in here!" Bulma's high-pitched demand sent shivers of fear down Bra's spine.

}{

"ARE YOU NUTS?" Gohan squawked at his brother, gesticulating wildly. "What—I mean, you DO know whose daughter she is, right!?"

The gravity of the situation was not lost of Gohan. This was a relief to Goten – albeit it also proved to be a bit of an annoyance. Grumpily, the younger man dropped his chin into his palm and eyeballed his brother expectantly. The shock would wear off soon; of that, he knew for sure. "Yeah, I kind of got that, bro. So you get it, right?"

"No," Gohan shook his head as he still looked perturbed. "No, I don't get it. Not only is she Vegeta's daughter, your best friend's sister, but she's… she's almost Pan's age," he blanched, looking very honestly repulsed by the notion.

Goten grimaced and yelped at the comparison, waving his brother's association off. "Oh, stop with that. She's a few years older than that and she—"

"I swear to God, if you say she 'acts older', I'm gonna—" Gohan's threat began, his face withering in sheer awe of his brother's audacity.

Shrinking back against the couch, Goten didn't meet his brother's gaze. "Well, she does," he defended his argument half-heartedly. "Look, I know the wrong. I've written eight pages of pros and cons on this, dude." His hands fell open in his lap, and Goten focused his attention into the lines of his palms. "But… I can't help it. I just can't keep away from her."

Sympathetically, Gohan's hand fell on his brother's shoulder. They sat for a few silent, contemplative seconds, before Gohan gave Goten a rough shake. "Well, I could've told you that training her wouldn't help you there."

}{

It had been three minutes of nothing but reprimanding on her mother's part, but Bra's attention was locked solely upon her father, who had been consumed with his personal brand of stoic silence.

"…And you could get hurt! Have we taught you nothing? I mean, really!" Bulma gushed in her exasperation with her child, halting mid-pace to throw her arms up. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

Bra's answer seemed to be lost somewhere, as silence echoed in the room.

"…Do I really need to--?"

"Shut up," Vegeta's first words came as an interruption to Pan's query. His gaze had been settled on Bra the entirety of Bulma's rant – distrustful and inspecting. And now his thick eyebrows moved inward and his eyes narrowed upon his child. "Your mother asked you a question, girl."

"I don't know what you want me to say," Bra shrugged helplessly, glancing between her parents.

"The truth," her father snapped, and Bra felt her head buzz at the harshness of his tone.

Heaving a sigh, Bra sat back into the couch and fixed her mother with a suddenly pointed look. Bulma stood above her daughter, scrutinizing her face intently. The wordless communication between the two took a moment, but eventually, Bulma seemed to understand. "Ohhh…."

Vegeta glanced sharply at his wife. "What, 'oh?'"

"It's—it's nothing," Bulma covered immediately, blushing under the depreciative glare from her daughter. "It's that Bra has this project—"

"Mom!" Bra shot up at once, and Pan was up quickly thereafter by her friend's side. "Can we not?" She implored her mother, trying not to feel her father's inquisitive stare bleeding into her peripheral.

Vegeta growled and stepped closer to the two blue-hued women. "No, we very well can't … not," he stumbled over his daughter's awkwardly worded phrase, trying to find the negative. "I do not like being lied to," he rounded on his child now, and Bra actually felt herself shrink under his approach. "I do not like things to be hidden from me. What 'project?'" His glower stretched across to Bulma, and she too wilted under his contained fury.

To Bra's horror, Bulma began to open her mouth in reply.

"I've—I've been training," Bra piped up over her mother, drawing her father's attention away from Bulma. "Like … fighting." Her voice weakened under the intensity of his gaze, and she forced herself to keep her eyes set on his.

"…What?" Bulma and Vegeta's voices both merged in a single unbelieving gasp, and Vegeta threw a dirty look at his wife. "You knew?"

"I—" Bulma halted, and she looked askance to her daughter. "…Well. Yes."

Vegeta looked down at his daughter, who was doing her best not to falter under him. There was something peculiar about his expression now. Bra wondered if it was surprise – such a rarity to find with her father. "…Why?" A beat and then, much more intently, "And with whom?"

Bra glanced beside her to Pan, who looked just terrified by the unfolding situation. She caught the barest of head-shakes from the younger girl. "I… wanted to…" She was grasping at straws, trying to find the most appropriate, believable response. But nothing was coming. Defeated, she sighed and shrugged up at her father. "I don't know what I wanted. To try something new, I guess," she offered with a downcast sort of look.

"And with whom?" Vegeta's secondary question was repeated, and Bra felt herself flush bright pink at the sternness of his repetition.

"I-I—" Bra's mouth moved, and yet no sensible sounds or words came out. Helplessly, she looked from her mother to her best friend.

"Vegeta, does that matter?" Bulma did her best to intervene earnestly on her daughter's behalf. "I mean, she—"

"It does matter," he growled, his gaze unwavering on child.

It was a make-or-break situation.

Now, she could lie. However, this would most likely result in extended employment as Trunks' secretary and other horrible, soul-crushing, brain-smashing penalties. Like having her father stare at her distrustfully or, should the lie be successful, having to live with the lie and function around it.

Or, she could go with honesty. This could also result in the aforementioned punishment and penalties, and instead of distrust she could earn disgust and disappointment from her father and risk everything she had been working towards with Goten.

Bra considered her options, and she decided.

}{

Abruptly, Goten sneezed, startling his family collected around the Son dinner table.

Chi Chi glanced over at her son, her gaze concerned at once. "Goten-kun, daijoubu desu ka?"

"Uh, yeah," he sniffled, twitching his nose in agitation. "Just allergies, I think."