Hi! I'm back with an update. Thank you so much for reading and even leaving a comment. It really means a lot for me to see that people appreciate my work. In this chapter we travel through Goten's thoughts, insecurities and total naivety. Also, illustrations on my deviantart channel, LarslovesJames. Enjoy :)

Midnight Confessions

Goten could not remember how he actually flew back home. He was so dumbstruck about what just happened that his mind turned on the autopilot. Only when he landed near his house did he snap out of it. By the curses and shouting, Goten figured that his brother and father were in the back yard…training, probably. Wanting to avoid them, he got inside through the front. He made a bee line to the kitchen, where he just threw his face under the water tap and drank with thirst. Then he went to the table and took a seat on the only remaining chair. He put his hands on his face and sighed deeply.

What the fuck was he going to do now? His chances of improving just went down the drain, like any hope of seeing Trunks again. Why…?

He didn't really understand the prince's reaction. Why didn't he just say that the wanted to have sex with him? He could've given him some time to think about it…probably agree in the end and then carry on. But the way the prince shut him out closed any possibility for them to even think of other possibilities.

So the prince did want to do it… It wasn't just in his mind. It all made sense now…all the innuendo from earlier in their meetings and awkward touching during their training sessions. The prince was… 'testing the ground'.

But Goten couldn't help but think that the prince exaggerated a little. Okay…maybe he freaked out when he realized that he wanted what he wanted, but…it wasn't that big of a deal, for a Saiyan. The prince should feel proud that the Saiyan side in him was active. And Goten should feel flattered…but he wasn't really.

What if the prince didn't warn him and just decided to act on his impulses all of a sudden? That would've been disturbing and things could've ended badly. Yeah…it was probably better that he received some sort of warning…

He sighed again and in that moment his father burst into the kitchen, holding an empty bottle and going to the water tap.

"I'm still counting!" he cried as he turned on the water. "55…56…57…Goten, you're here."

He gave Goten a quick glance and smile. He turned off the water and was ready to take a sip, but he shouted again. "Don't think that I'm not counting, Gohan!"

"You were talking to Goten and you're not even looking at me!" came Gohan's cry from outside.

"60!" Kakarot shouted and finally took a long sip of cold water. Goten stared at his father. He was standing with his back turned to the kitchen's window, from where Gohan could clearly be seen doing push-ups, and yet, he seemed to know Gohan's exact rhythm to keep a precise count of his workout.

"65…66…" Kakarot shouted when he was done drinking water. Gohan made an exasperated sound. " You sure stayed a lot today…did you learn anything new? 71! Move faster, Gohan!"

"Bite me…" Gohan sneered.

"Not…really…" Goten said and gave his father a glance as if he was trying to tell him through his eyes everything that happened.

"Something wrong?" Kakarot asked crooking his head on a side and frowning.

Goten looked down at the table again. No…there was no way he could talk to his father about his dilemma. Nor with anyone else for that matter.

"If there's something bothering you, you can always talk to me," Kakarot said and took another sip from the water, his eyes lingering on his son.

"Yeah, whatever…" Goten said, but wasn't really in the mood for his father's attempts to being the 'cool dad'. Yes, he did understand that being a father was the only thing Kakarot was good at…or still had, since he clearly wasn't a strong Saiyan, but…not today…

"Want to torture Gohan with me?" Kakarot asked and a smirk appeared on his face. "Or did you have enough training for one day?"

Goten pursed his lips. Oh, how he wished his father stopped being so…nice. Always asking for his permission, always letting him decide whatever he wanted to do. And he seemed to make discriminations between him and his brother. It was almost clear that he preferred him to Gohan. Other times he would've appreciated this, but today it pissed him off.

"Why do you want to torture Gohan?" he asked abruptly.

"I'm not torturing him…I just have to force him to train! At least you know what you have to do, Gohan on the other hand seems to like being pushed from behind in getting things done."

"Are you trying to turn into Bardock?"

Kakarot pursed his lips and looked down. "If it means getting Gohan to train, I guess I have to turn into him. I do however, understand him now….but I don't think Raditz ever put up so much resistance to freaking training like Gohan. Oh well…You have blood on your neck, by the way. Okay, take five, Gohan!"

His father walked out of the kitchen. Goten touched the back of his neck and indeed it was covered in blood. Trunks' blood. He went to the water tap, washed his hands and his neck. He then sat back at the table and started tapping his fingers on the smooth surface. Suddenly the room seemed too quiet. He got up and got outside.

"I thought you two were going to spend the night," Gohan greeted him before he drank the water his father brought him.

Goten stared at him. How the hell was he related to these people? Although they looked pretty much alike, they were so different from one another. He wondered if this was what the prince was talking about when he described his relation with the people at the court. People he could never rely on or never relate to.

Suddenly he felt above these low-classes. He was stronger than them…maybe he should move away like his uncle did. Their lives and aspirations seemed petty…and lame. They never strived to become stronger, like he did. They seemed to enjoy squirming in that puddle of slime called Life and they didn't seem to want to improve their condition. The king gave them an opportunity to improve and what were they doing? Push-ups and laps around the house? They had to force each other into doing a minimal amount of exercise per day and not do it because it was their duty?

"What's wrong with him?" Gohan asked frowning and leaning in to his father.

" I don't know…" Kakarot whispered.

"What's the matter, Goten, saw something that traumatized you?" Gohan asked with a mocking smirk.

"Yes…your pathetic lives," Goten snapped.

"Oooh, it seems that the elite taught little Goten to meditate on higher matters too," Gohan commented in a sly voice.

"You pathetic excuses of Saiyans!" Goten burst and looked at them in disbelief.

"Excuse me?" Gohan asked raising an eyebrow. " You suddenly turned into a snob and hate low-classes? Oh, I see, hanging out with the elites has changed your views on the real life. You're beginning to turn into Raditz…"

"Raditz never thought that!" Kakarot snapped, frowning at Gohan. The boy rolled his eyes.

"Dad, come on, why do you think he left you and grandpa? Because of the same reasons as Goten here. He gets indoctrinated by the elites how to regard life…" Gohan spat.

"You're talking about things that happened before your time, boy. Don't rush into throwing judgments here and there only because you heard some people talking about them," Kakarot said in a low menacing voice. By 'some people' he meant Bardock.

Goten put his hands on his forehead. He couldn't stand those people in that moment. He decided to fly off in the city, maybe have a drink or two, but at least stay away from his family for a while.

The sun had already set when he entered a bar he frequented from time to time. The place was packed with noisy drunk low-classes. The perfect place to get lost. Goten ordered his usual strong drink and went in a corner, from where he could examine everyone and still be hidden from everybody else's gazes.

He took a long sip and instantly felt more awake, the tingling sensation of alcohol roaming even to the tip of his tail. The noise wasn't as annoying anymore, he though. He looked around. Big rough and tough Saiyans drinking and talking loudly to each other, laughing, cursing, gossiping and breaking bottles…and the bar just opened an hour ago. The low-class Saiyan women were always surrounded by groups of men, but they knew how to keep them all at bay. Goten smiled. The women on his planet were really strong and very independent. Although they were protected by law (because they were too few), they knew how to defend and protect themselves. No Saiyan man would ever try to force a Saiyan woman to do anything she never wanted, although men got a little pushy and even gross around them. No, Saiyan women were in charge of their lives and they called the shots whether they wanted to sleep with a guy or not.

Goten got lucky with his first time with a Saiyan woman. He was seventeen and really not strong, but luckily, the Saiyan girl was pretty young herself and just wanted to have some fun with him. So…it probably was some pity sex, but it was still sex. If he had been in a fair competition for that girl's approval, he never would've won, because sometimes the women also went for the strongest.

He wondered if he had any chance now…after all that training. Wait…sex was forbidden.

Sex with women is forbidden…

And yet, guys were waiting in line for the girls…were they risking it? Or did they use different methods to do it? As much as he wished he was, Goten was no sex expert. He didn't know all the tricks and secrets, nor any other position than the one he used his first time. Surely, they were others…but he didn't know how they worked.

Goten suddenly looked around himself. They said that everyone was doing it, but from the looks of it, there was no Saiyan guy 'courting' another Saiyan guy. It was probably just a big lie…maybe not every Saiyan guy was actually okay with the 'convention'. From what Goten saw, men were only around women. There were at least two women at a table surrounded by men. There were a few guys at the bar and…him in the corner.

Goten smiled. He felt good that he never had to do something like that. It was probably better that all this thing between him and the prince ended. He didn't need to give in to any of the prince's whims anymore. Plus, seeing now that no one was actually doing it, he didn't have to feel bad for denying the 'convention' for Trunks…actually, he never even got the chance to either deny or accept it…

But to be completely honest, he wasn't really sure how the 'convention' worked. Sure, two guys were doing it…but what was he supposed to feel during it? Was it the same as with a woman? It mustn't be that bad, right? But then again, he would be at the receiving end…and that probably wasn't that pleasant. But how unpleasant must it really be if people were doing it for years?

He took another sip from his drink. Suddenly he felt uneasy. He looked at the beautiful Saiyan women and their petite frames ( bear in mind that Saiyan women were still very strong, so they still had muscular bodies, but not as muscular and menacing as the men's) and kind of felt jealous of them. There was no 'convention' for them! They didn't have to agree to anything because 'they knew how it was when the instinct kicked in'. No, they could decide what they wanted to do, but if a guy denied the 'convention'…what happened? Was he forced to do it? Did other guys give him ugly stares?

Goten leaned back on his chair and puffed. He even chuckled. Look at him…sitting there and becoming all philosophical. That was not him! He never stood too long to think about things! That's something Gohan would do! And look at Gohan now…weak stupid low-class! He didn't have to worry so much about everything. Okay, he might have lost the prince's support, but he was stronger now! He did get stronger…a lot stronger than he was a month ago, meaning that he respected the king's order. Maybe he should take it easy from now on…like his folks. Just add some numbers to your power level so the king to be content and then don't give a fuck for the rest of the six months until the mass examination. He'd done that. Why still bother to get stronger?

As much as Goten wanted to believe what he was saying, he didn't. He leaned forward on his seat again. It wasn't about the numbers, just like the prince taught him. Numbers don't mean anything. His power level was getting close to 900 now, but he still felt weak. And sometimes, when he fought with Gohan, he had the feeling that his brother was better than him, although he was way weaker now. It was all about skill and experience…he had neither of those.

He needed the prince. He didn't have with whom to train anymore! His brother and father didn't know anything about training like professionals and his uncle, the only one from his family who was still stronger than him and whom probably had some tricks up his sleeve was in a mission. And he didn't know for how long. What if Raditz was never coming back? Then what would he do? He didn't want to become stronger because of the king! He wanted to become stronger because he wanted to be better! He wanted to become an elite now that that opportunity arose.

He started panicking a little. What will he do? He felt so…helpless without the prince. And yet, the prince didn't feel comfortable around him anymore. Damn it! Why did this have to happen? Why didn't the prince have some royal whores to get the job done and allow the two of them to carry on without all that pent up tension?

Fuck that! If sex was what the prince wanted, then maybe that's what he should give him. I mean, it was just sex, right? Get it over with and then they could carry on with their training.

Goten sighed. Why did he have to overthink everything again? Why was the prince so complicated? Why couldn't he be like any other Saiyan, demand what he wanted, get what he wanted and that was all. But no, he had to…care about what Goten thought or about making things awkward between them.

Another sip and the drink was gone. Goten was a little lightheaded. Maybe he should go home…but he didn't want to see his father or brother. But looking back on the things he felt and told them earlier that day…he felt a little embarrassed. Who was he to call their lives petty? As if he weren't a low-class himself…He needn't have acted as if he was better than them….

He chuckled again. It was so obvious that he had been spending time with the prince. He now developed feelings… that was something new.

He looked around himself again, before he would get up and leave. He wanted to check once again that the 'convention' was actually a lie and that no one was doing it…and he was about to believe that new thought when something caught his attention.

There was this guy at the bar, minding his own business, drinking something and then this other Saiyan takes a seat next to him. They share a glance and then nothing happens. The newcomer Saiyan actually turns around in his chair so that he now had his back turned to the bar. The other Saiyan doesn't move. Goten wouldn't have paid so much attention to those two guys if the newcomer hadn't then, very subtle, run his fingers up the other Saiyan's tail. It was as if Goten saw how the Saiyan shivered and turned his head at the newcomer. They just looked at each other for a few moments, as if they were having a mental conversation and then the Saiyan that was originally at the bar finished his drink and got off his chair. He walked out of the bar. After a few moments, the newcomer Saiyan followed him.

Goten's heart started racing in his chest. So, there was a 'convention' after all! And that guy just accepted it! Just like that…But he didn't understand…How could one accept it that easily? Was it actually…nice? Was it great doing it with another guy that they were accepting it that easily?

He wished he could find out…A crazy idea popped in his mind. What if he followed those guys? Just take a quick peek and then leave?

Goten always had a curious personality. His father told him that when he made his first steps he actually ran straight to the electric socket and stuck his tiny fingers in it. The results of that were…you can imagine. Other times he used to get stuck in all sorts of cupboards and places. Luckily, his home was constantly swarming with Saiyans so, it didn't take long for them to find him.

Goten got up from his table and walked outside the bar. The streets of the city were very noisy at night, because it was usually after sunset that all the pubs were opened and almost all the low-classes were out and about. It was at night when the city came to life. But getting out on the street made Goten reconsider what he wanted to do. It was a little messed up to go watch some dudes fuck. Maybe he should go home after all…after a stroll through the city, though!

So, he started wandering through the streets, looking at the people that he encountered, wondering how their lives were for a second and then move on. His legs however seemed to be making a bee line to the main square from where the largest road led to the palace.

He realized that he was a few meters away from the gates of the palace when he heard a loud female laughter not far away. He looked around confused and wondered why he got there. Looking up at the massive building, he wondered what was Trunks doing…did he heal? Was he carrying on with his life? Was he thinking about him?

Goten shook his head and started walking away quickly from the gates. What the fuck has gotten into him? He should get home faster before he did something stupid. He decided to walk home. It wasn't that far away. But as he got closer to the outskirts of the city, weird things started happening around him, especially in dark corners of buildings. It was clear that there was where the magic happened and not in the center of the city. His tail started wagging nervously. He bit his lip and decided to sneak behind a corner of a building. He couldn't help feeling shocked when he saw two guys in the shadows.

One of the guys was facing the wall, while the other was standing behind him, one hand on the other's hip and another hand gripping his shoulder and slowly but harshly thrusting in him. The receiver rested his forehead on the wall and was wincing and grunting with every hard thrust. He was biting his lower lip hard to stop himself from making any loud sound. Beads of sweat formed on his upper lip and with his fingernails he was scraping the wall, as if he was trying to distract himself from what was happening to him. The other guy on the other hand didn't seem to be in any sort of physical pain. He was just biting his lower lip and his eyes were fixed on his crotch.

Goten's throat went dry. The receiver didn't look happy…at all. It must have been terrible! But something happened. The rhythm of their movement accelerated a little. The doer suddenly grabbed the other's tail and gave it a firm squeeze. The receiver moaned loudly and a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. His hips seemed now to move along with the other's thrusting rhythm and his grunts turned more into pleased sounds. He wasn't frowning anymore. He ran a hand through his hair and pulled on it as his partner thrust harder. The doer buried his face in the other's shoulder and after a split second, the receiver screamed in pleasure, not pain. He turned his head towards Goten and opened his eyes. Goten startled when he saw that the Saiyan noticed him. He felt immobilized, like a deer caught in the headlights. But the Saiyan didn't look angry. He slowly blinked and a seductive smile spread all over his face. He made a sign with his hand for Goten to come closer. Goten shook his head quickly and decided that it was probably time to leave.

Okay…so, from what he noticed it was just like doing it with a woman. Okay…he could do that…it didn't seem that wrong and bad. Hell, the receiver even seemed to enjoy it after a while.

Maybe he will accept…or maybe not…he didn't know.

XXXX

Trunks had expected to have a very long and painful depression after what he told Goten at their last meeting, which was a few days ago, but his dark thoughts stayed with him only two days, days in which he didn't leave his room at all, not even to eat.

In those days, he lay in bed and felt ashamed for having told Goten how he felt. He had been weak. He could've pretended more, anything would've been better than to just cut Goten out of his life like that. He was now alone, with no one to talk or why not, tease around.

Why did he freak out like that for a normal reaction of his body? And it was Goten's fault for simply sitting on his crotch like that…the little tease. He should've scolded him for that, make him feel bad for tempting him…And it was also Goten's fault for fueling those feelings. If he hadn't given Trunks some feedback on his teasing, Trunks would've probably ignored how he felt. And that thing about the Saiyan 'convention' just made his mind go crazy. He could've kept it to himself if he didn't want Trunks to just lose control like that.

After those thoughts of blaming Goten for everything came the thoughts of guilt for trying to put the blame on everyone else but him. It was his fault for behaving like that and everything had been in his head. Goten never teased. Goten only wanted to train and become stronger, not get physical with the prince. He was the twisted one. And this only because he didn't have sex for so long. Where were the damn girls when you needed them?

Of course Tanap constantly nagged him now that he was always indoors and under his vigilant supervision. The supervisor was finally content that the prince stopped going out whenever he wished, but he also felt frustrated that that stupid low-class finally noticed that the transmitter was on and deactivated it, thus depriving Tanap from eavesdropping on their conversations. He did wonder what actually happened between the two that made the prince become depressed again.

But Trunks didn't have time to stay in his depressed state as something very interested happened after two days . He was minding his own business, looking outside the window from his bedroom, activity which he had been doing for the last two days, until there was a knock on the door. He gritted his teeth, as he expected it to be Tanap again, but then there was a second knock. Trunks looked behind his shoulder, confused. Tanap didn't usually knock at the door...

"Yes?" he shouted and the door opened. In came one of the king's councilors, gave him a quick bow of the head and straightened his back.

"Your Highness, the Council requires your attention for a minute." he spoke.

Trunks raised a curious eyebrow. "Why for?"

"There has been a small dispute between two low-classes and they asked for the High Council to judge their case. The Council has made its decision, but as the law says, the king or the regent must oversee the decision and give his approval...or disapproval..."

Trunks was suddenly more interested. He had almost forgotten that his father had indeed given him the veto right, since nothing important happened since the king left in the mission.

"Two low-classes you say?" the prince said and walked up to the councilor. They walked outside the hall and went to the Conference Room where all of the other eleven councilors were gathered around the large table in the middle of the room. They seemed rather bored, talking between themselves, chuckling from time to time. It was obvious that this was a regular procedure and that the prince's presence was merely a formality, because usually the decision of the Council was the same with the one of the king. When Trunks walked inside the room, they all shut up and gave him quick superior glances. They rose to their feet.

"Your Highness..." they said in a voice as they bowed their heads.

"Gentlemen," Trunks replied as he walked to the chair at the end of the table. The Saiyans exchanged confused glances. Gentlemen...?

Trunks sat down on his throne and looked at each and every councilor. Being there, in the middle of the attention , knowing that they were all awaiting his decision made him forget everything about his depression. He felt powerful again. He was the prince...he ruled them and not the other way around.

"So, what seems to be the problem?" he asked leaning back on his chair and gripping its cushioned arms. Tanap raised from his chair and gave him a disgustingly unctuous smirk.

"Your Highness, if I may..." he spoke. " It's not much of a problem, but more something quite common. There has been a dispute between two low-class Saiyans regarding the amount of food that each of them receives daily..."

Trunks pursed his lips. Just as he feared, the low-classes started fighting on food.

"What exactly happened?" he asked.

"Well, a retrograded elite Saiyan seems to have attacked another regular low-class to gain his ratio of food. The regular low-class appears to have put up a fight and wounded the retrograded elite quite severely, claiming, and I quote, that 'since you are now a low-class you will eat as much as we regularly do'. The retrograded elite asked for his rights and that the regular low-class be punished for his defiance and unjustified attack. Thus they came to court."

"And what has the Council decided?" Trunks asked frowning and supporting his head in his hand.

"The Council has decided for the low-class to be deprived of any sort of food for four days and to serve time in the palace's dungeons." Tanap replied calmly.

"Why?" Trunks asked. Tanap, who kept his smile this entire time, blinked several times as he, along with the other councilors, did not expect for the prince to ask something like that.

"Your Highness...?" the supervisor asked, trying to remain unaffected.

"On what grounds did you take this decision?" Trunks asked, also remaining clam, but cold. "How is it that you decided for the one who was attacked to be sent to prison?"

Tanap just looked at him. Another councilor, a much older one, stepped in. "His Highness is only required to give his approval of the Council's decision!"

"I believe I have a veto right, meaning that I can oppose to your decision," Trunks replied, shooting the older councilor a cold glance. The councilors exchanged glances again.

Nappa cleared his throat. "Your Highness, allow me to explain to you, since you are not as experienced with these matters...-some councilors smiled arrogantly-...The Council decided in favor of the retrograded elite because..."

" Men, may I ask you what my father...the king... said about those that have a power level bellow 2000?" Trunks cut in sharply, as he noticed how everyone treated him as if he were a retard. The councilors went silent. "If I remember correctly, he said that those that are bellow the power level of 2000 shall from that day forth be named...?"

He raised his eyebrows and scanned the table, actually waiting for someone to finish his sentence.

"...low-classes." Tanap finally said and then pursed his lips discontented.

"There you go!" Trunks exclaimed pointing at Tanap. "Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but...when you kept calling that Saiyan a 'retrograded elite' you meant that his power level is bellow 2000, meaning that he is...?"

"...a low-class," Tanap said again and looked down at the table, clearly annoyed by the way Trunks was treating them.

"Right again. And...this of course is just me but...doesn't this mean that since that day when my father ascended to the throne, all those bellow 2000 are low-classes? And therefore, all low-classes are equal in the eyes of the law? Meaning that there are no low-classes that are more equal than others? And since he is a retrograded elite he is therefore a low-class, as equal as the other?"

The councilors just stared at him. What they thought was just a standard procedure turned out to be more troublesome that they had expected.

"I therefore reject your decision, gentlemen, considering it unjust and not in conformity with the law. Rethink your decision so that now you will only see the facts and not the persons and their former statuses. Only then can you call me to approve your decision." Trunks said and stood up. The councilors did the same and watched him leave the Conference Room.

Trunks smiled as he heard his councilors roar in frustration and anger right after he closed the door. He took a deep breath and couldn't help feeling good. Really good. Standing there, against them all, slapping them in the face with their own laws made Trunks feel drunk with power.

Yes, he ruled them now.

XXXX

Three more days passed since the previous incident. Goten and Trunks continued living and training away from each other, just that now, it was only Goten who was still concerned with what had happened between them.

He gave the idea of yielding to the prince's urges in return for training sessions great thought. Every day he thought about it and he never came to a definite conclusion. He was burning to ask someone for an opinion, but he had no one to go to. He would never go to his father with such a matter, not that it was really about sex, but because his father had an annoying way of dealing with others' problems. He never gave anyone true advice. He just listened to the speaker and simply told him to do the one thing the speaker was whining about. For example, if Goten were to complain about the difficult training, his father would just tell him to quit training if it annoyed him so badly. And Goten was pretty sure that if he told him about his dilemma, he would just tell him to do what he felt like. The thing was, Goten had no idea what he felt! One day he would agree to having sex with the prince and the other he would change his mind and invoke pride as a reason not to do it.

If only his grandfather were still alive...he would've given him a sincere and straight answer to any of his questions and...even a more personal opinion about the matter, according to what his father hinted at a few days ago. And then again, he wished Raditz were there, to at least tell him what was the more 'Saiyan' thing to do, since he knew more about the outside world than his father or brother.

And yet, here he was now, a week after the prince had 'dumped' him, lying in his bed and staring at the ceiling. His brother Gohan was in the bed beside him, sitting up and reading a very old and dog-eared book. Goten turned on a side, trying to fall asleep, but his mind was too alert to just go to sleep like that. He tossed and turned on his back again and started at the ceiling. Gohan threw him a quick glance, but continued his reading. Goten threw the covers off him and stayed like that for almost a minute before he pulled them back on. He turned on the other side to Gohan and punched his pillow to make it more comfortable. His brother pursed his lips and gave him another annoyed glance. Goten watched him read for a few moments, before he turned on his belly, shoved his arms under the pillow, but continued to look at Gohan.

Gohan read a few more lines from the book before he cast another glance at his brother. He saw him staring at him.

"What? Don't tell me that the light bothers you?" Gohan said annoyed.

Goten shook his head and buried his face in the pillow. He needed to talk to Gohan. He knew he would say the most discouraging things, but at least this way he knew what his brother's views on the matter were and thus he knew to do the exact opposite of what Gohan recommended. He peeked at him over his arm again.

Gohan made an exasperated sound and put the book down. "What? What is wrong with you? Do you want something? Is there something on your mind that bugs you? 'Cause if not, you should fucking turn on a side and let me read in peace. You're pissing me off with all your shifting and turning..."

"I'm sorry to interrupt you from your pleasant and interesting activity, but...yeah...I have something that's been bugging me for a few days..." Goten said and sat up in bed, facing his brother.

Gohan frowned at him. "And you want to talk with me about it...?" he asked. Goten hesitated, but then nodded his head. Gohan sighed, put a sign to the page where he interrupted his reading and put the book on their shared nightstand. He tossed the covers off him and also sat up in bed, his legs bent under him. He raised his chin and gave Goten a superior glance.

"Well?" he asked. "What's up? You've been acting weird all week...right after you came back from your meeting with your...friend. Dad is still annoyed by what you said about us low-classes that day..."

"Gohan, I'm only asking you for your honest opinion, so could you please spare me of your arrogance? Could you just...be a brother this time?"

Gohan raised an eyebrow at him. "Okay..."

"So...um...what's your opinion about the 'convention'...?"

" Convention? What convention?"

"You know...the convention Saiyans have with each other..."

Goten expected Gohan to catch the idea midair, but his brother just frowned at him. Goten rolled his eyes.

"Oh, come on! Isn't there anything written in one of your books of history about the Saiyan 'convention'?"

"Goten, Saiyans have many conventions," Gohan said matter-of-factly. "Could you be a little more specific?"

Goten already regretted bringing up the subject. "The convention Saiyan males have with each other...that when the instinct kicks in...they should..."

"...have sex with each other?" Gohan completed, taking Goten by surprise. "Yeah...no normal book writes about such thing, but I know something like that exists..."

"And...what do you say?" Goten asked expectantly.

Gohan leaned back on his hands. "I think it's stupid."

"Wow...you're steady on your position..." Goten commented. "Why do you think it's stupid?"

"Because I think that this idea of a 'convention' just tries to justify one Saiyan's sick desire to have sex with another male Saiyan. It almost forces another Saiyan to engage in such activity. It doesn't work with sympathy, it works with guilt, because the other Saiyan would feel guilty if he didn't agree to the 'convention', because then he would not be Saiyan like everybody else. As if everyone is forced to accept this. But I ask you now, what Saiyan in his normal mind ever feels the need to have sex with another man?"

"Man, Gohan, I didn't expect you to be so aware of this..." Goten said raising an eyebrow. "How do you know all these things? Have you ever been...asked for...?"

"Eh, no!" Gohan replied immediately, making a disgusted face. "But you know, Goten, I'm ten years older than you, meaning that when you were still playing with your little toys I too was curious about the wonders that our beloved Saiyan city hides. And I've discovered them...by accident..." He winced.

"So...you're completely against this?" Goten asked avoiding Gohan's eyes.

"Absolutely. It's disgusting and unnatural."

"You don't believe that anyone actually feels the need to have sex so badly that they ask the nearest man to indulge them this one time?"

"No. I think that those who actually do this simply want to have sex with men and not women and thus they use this absurd idea that every man eventually feels this burning desire to have sex that if they don't do it on the spot with whomever is available...what happens? They blow up?"

"Interesting..." Goten said, although he didn't agree with his brother's radical opinion. He understood the prince's reaction when around him ( he had been denied the freedom of interacting with other Saiyans, women included, and thus the sexual frustration only grew along with the years) and also, he wanted to use the convention as an alibi for himself, for justifying his decision of accepting to do such thing with the prince, but he was doing this more as a trade, because he wanted Trunks to continue to train with him and if sex was what bothered the prince then, screw it! It mustn't be such a big deal...

"But you know what intrigues me more, Goten?" Gohan asked narrowing his eyes and studying his brother. "How do you know about this so called convention? Are you suddenly interested in having sex with men?"

"No...!" Goten said hesitantly, then decided to turn the irony around. "Plus, didn't you keep saying that I was already having sex with my...boyfriend?"

"Well, are you?"

"No! Damn it, Gohan, we never did that! We never touched in that way, never fondled each other's goods and never had sex! We never even thought about that...!"

"Then, why haven't you two been meeting this week? Did you break up?"

"N-No...we just had to interrupt our routine for a while..."

"He suggested you have sex with him, didn't he?" Gohan dropped the bomb. Goten immediately looked at his brother bewildered. How the hell was his brother so good at reading people when he never left the house anymore?

"I...uumm...what are you talking about, Gohan?"

"He doesn't want to train you anymore if you don't have sex with him, right?"

"How do you come up with this?"

"It's kind of obvious...and predictable. Remember that I told you about the friends with benefits thing..." Goten didn't say anything anymore, and that encouraged Gohan to go on. "Plus, you haven't left the house since you've last met with him...and this sudden discussion about the 'convention' only led me to believe that someone is pressuring you to take a decision..."

"Well aren't you a smart one..."Goten said frustrated that his brother read him like an open book. "Assuming that that happened..."

"I hope you don't actually intend on doing it," Gohan said in a warning voice.

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Ah, come on, Goten! Don't you have any pride? Do you actually enjoy the idea that the dude will stick his dick up your ass? Do you think that will feel great? No! It's a dick...up your ass!"

"Thank you for the vivid image..."Goten mumbled.

"It's the truth, Goten! And it's disgusting. I don't believe that you like the idea of this either. And if you're doing this only for that guy to train you..., you've already become stronger, Goten! A lot stronger, actually. You don't need to worry anymore. If that motherfucker can't train you for free anymore, then screw him...no...not literally!"

They both smiled at this point. Gohan gave his brother a softer glance.

"I understand your desperate need to become better...but you'll have to ask yourself, is it really worth it? Degrading yourself like that? And what if the dude only uses you but doesn't train you anymore?"

"Then, I'm going to punch him in the nuts," Goten joked and it made Gohan smile again. They looked at each other again.

"So, you're telling me not to do it..." Goten said pursing his lips.

"Yes. You don't need it..." Gohan said in a low voice. Goten nodded and lay back on his bed. He pulled the covers over himself. Gohan followed him and also turned off the light.

"By the way, did you hear that the prince rejected an unjust decision of the Council towards a low-class until they applied the law rightfully?" Gohan whispered after a few moments.

"Did he now? How do you know?"

"Dad told me. He talked with some Saiyans in the city. I think I like this prince guy, although he's a half-Saiyan and looks weird. He seems to be on the side of true justice and not the favoritism and elitism of the king and Council..."

"Yeah...he sounds like a great guy..."Goten whispered in reply. He felt proud of the prince for standing up for his beliefs.

That night Goten made his decision, which apparently was taken a long time ago, but after his discussion with his brother, he only realized what he had wanted from the beginning.

He was going to do it.