Wow guys, the response to the last chapter was amazing! Thank you everyone who reviewed and PM'd, it's honestly better than Christmas! All these little gifts in my inbox :') Thought I'd get the next one ready early as a thank you to you all! I gotta give back, ya know.
To my lovely guest reviewers
~KK: Thank you! It's was a heavy one for sure, I'm really glad you that felt the emotional distress of the various characters was conveyed well. That's great feedback! And thank you for your continued appreciation at my stick-ability with this fic. It really does mean a lot.
~Averychan: Hello! I'll never get tired of hearing people say they're enjoying this story. You're about to hear from Bulma very soon :) Thank you for the review and kind words.
~Dbzfan: The confidence you mentioned before came back to bite him (oh dear). Read on to get some insight on Trunks :) Thank you for the review!
It was the worst night's sleep she'd ever had, If it could even be described as sleep, she griped.
It was already early afternoon, but Bulla had yet to exit her room, or even open the curtains. Excluding a couple of trips to the bathroom, she'd barely left her bed. Her father hadn't come to reprimand her for missing their Sunday morning training session, and her mother refrained from calling her down for breakfast and lunch. My family knows. She flopped onto her back, scrunching her face as she reminded herself for the thousandth time. It's only a matter of time until word gets out to the rest. Clasping her palms over the lower half of her face, the heiress inhaled.
She replayed the look on Goten's face after Trunks' harsh words over and over in her head. He was crushed. He's going to lose everything over this.
"Bulla, I'm coming in," Bulma voiced suddenly from the hallway. The teenager pushed herself up into a sitting position, watching the handle turn as the older aqua-haired member of the house stepped inside. Bulla observed her carefully, pulse building as she attempted to gauge her mother's current disposition. Bulma took in a deep breath and closed her eyes, bringing her hands together in front of her.
"As you've probably already figured out, your brother has filled me in on what happened last night," the matriarch began. She looked over to her daughter, only to be met with silence. "I know you're legally an adult now, and you may feel that you shouldn't need to answer to anyone anymore, but what you and Goten are doing affects more than just the two of you," she spoke sternly, expression sober.
After a lack of response, Bulma continued. "I've given you the morning to wallow and feel sorry for yourself, but now it's time for answers." She looked upon her daughter solemnly before walking over to her thick, heavy curtains and throwing them open. Turning to face the teen once more, Bulma folded her arms. "When did you two start seeing each other?"
Bulla stared vacantly at the wall near her dresser, ignoring her mother's words.
"I'm not playing around here Bulla. This is serious. We need to know exactly what the nature of this…Whatever it is, is, and how long it's been going on for."
Still nothing.
"Have you been pressured into this in anyway by Goten Son?" Her eyes were quivering as she stared at her second-born.
"Mom!" Bulla exclaimed, finally breaking her silence. "How can you even think something like that?!"
"I don't know what to think, Bulla!" Bulma countered loudly. "He's a grown man and you're a young girl who has only very recently turned eighteen. There's a reason why people frown upon age gaps and it has nothing to do with numbers! If you didn't feel comfortable saying no to him, we would all understand why."
The teen covered her face with her hands. "That's so twisted I can't even believe it." She dropped her palms to the comforter either side of her with a frown. "No, mom. Goten has never pressured me into anything. In fact, it's been the complete opposite. You know what he's like, he's no different with me."
"I feel like I don't know him at all right now," she responded with a sigh, closing her eyes. "If what you're saying is true, then what is actually going in between the two of you?"
"I don't know," Bulla mumbled, glancing at her bedroom carpet.
"What do you mean you don't know?" Bulma chastised. "This has way too big a consequence for you two to be doing this for no reason!"
The teen stayed quiet.
"Fine, you young people don't like labels? Then at least tell me how long this has been going on for."
"A few months I guess," she muttered finally.
"How many months, exactly?" Bulma wasn't giving an inch.
"I don't know, like four or five?" She answered, doubt evident. "It was around the time I turned eighteen."
"Then why is Trunks telling me this started when Goten took you in two years ago, Bulla? He insists Goten said it himself." Bulma was standing at the foot of Bulla's generous bed, teal eyes fixed on her daughter's.
"Because that's when I kissed him," the teen admitted reluctantly, glancing at the wall next to her. "And do you know what happened after that day?" She added with clenched fists, returning her gaze to her mother. "He ran for the hills! I barely saw him, he was so freaked out."
"So what happened between then and now?" Bulma pressed. "If he was so 'freaked out', as you say, how is it that Trunks found you two together at last night's dinner?"
Bulla sighed. "Somehow we ended up kissing again, and this time he didn't run away."
"Why not?" Her mother's expression was beginning to soften into something more akin to confusion.
"I don't know," Bulla exhaled, keeping her gaze averted. "And I don't think he does either."
"So you've been seeing each other since you kissed four months ago," Bulma clarified.
The teen shrugged.
"How serious is this?"
"I don't know," she uttered, like a broken record. "We don't talk about it." Bulla shifted her attention back to her mother when she heard her let out an audible sigh.
"Trunks says Goten claimed he's in love with you."
The heiress' cheeks began to warm. "It was the first I'd heard of it," she mumbled.
"Do you think he was being honest?" Bulma asked cautiously. "Perhaps he said it to quell your brother's temper."
"I don't think he'd lie about something like that," the teen answered quietly. "Especially not to Trunks."
Bulma scoffed. "Really, Bulla? You think he wouldn't lie to your brother about something like that, despite the fact that he was seeing you behind everyone's back?"
Bulla stopped talking once again.
"Do you love him?"
She shrugged in response. "I never really allowed myself to think about it."
The older Briefs sat down on the edge of the mattress, harshness slowly dissolving from her features. "Bulla, how could you keep something like this from me? I'm your mother. You know you can always come to me about anything."
The young heiress met her mother's gaze, stinging from the disappointment that was clearly present in her shaky teal orbs. "Because I never wanted it to end," Bulla breathed. "I knew that if I told anyone, it would be over."
Bulma nodded slowly. "I've been there," she admitted.
"How is daddy?"
"He's not talking," her mother sighed. "I have no idea what he's thinking right now."
Bulla slumped even further. "So is everyone else going to know about this now too?" She asked apprehensively, attempting to change the subject.
"Trunks and I agreed that we'll keep it between us," she answered, meeting her daughter's gaze. "There's no point in getting anyone else involved if it will eventually go away on its own."
The teenager nodded, quietly relieved. That's something, I guess.
"So, now what?" Bulla enquired hesitantly as her mother pushed herself off her bed.
"What do you mean?" Bulma turned around, gazing questionably at her daughter.
"I don't really know where I go from here," she clarified.
"Do you mean will we allow you to keep seeing each other?
"I guess."
Bulma raised her brows in thought. "I don't know what to say, Bulla. I can't tell you what to do, because you're your own person now, but you have to understand that our ties with the Sons go way back. Whatever happens between you and Goten, you can not let it destroy that crucial link. I've been friends with his parents since we were children and we've all been through so much together," she responded, absently glancing through the glass sliding door. "I'm not happy about this, to put it mildly, but I don't want you sneaking off to see him anymore either. Trunks told me what your father said about us interfering only pushing you together, and I think he's right. All I can ask is that you stop with the secrets. Be upfront with me from now on."
Bulla nodded once more. "I will."
The CC heiress walked along the cobblestone path towards her brother's home, heart beating wildly against her ribcage. Bulla had barely made an effort to put on regular clothes after her talk with her mother, simply opting for a pair of grey sweats and a thin navy hoodie, hair in a messy bun on top of her head.
Trunks opened the door, glaring down at his sister harshly. "What."
Bulla noted the raw knuckles that gripped the door and frame, as well as the dark heavy circles under his striking blue eyes, skin dull and uneven. She felt a lump form in her throat at the mere sight of him. This isn't going to be easy, she inhaled.
"Can I please come in?"
After a few moments, he turned around and wordlessly headed down the hallway.
The teen walked through the threshold, spotting a worrying number of empty beer bottles strewn across his living room as she walked by. She followed him to the kitchen, taking a seat at the small square table in the corner of the room while he sat down with yet another drink at his kitchen bench.
"What do you want Bulla?" He asked dispassionately.
"I need to make things right between you and Goten," she voiced, reminding herself to stay steady.
"Don't bother," he responded, taking a sip. "He's dead to me."
"Trunks, please." She was only one sentence in and already she could feel herself fighting back the build-up of tears. "Don't do this. You mean so much to him."
He scoffed, bringing the smooth glass to his lips. "No, I really don't think I do. If I did, he would never have looked at you twice."
"It was my fault, Trunks. I'm the one that started all of this," she pleaded, eyes beginning to water.
"I realise that you genuinely believe that," he began. "And for that I'm sorry. But you're wrong. Stuff like this doesn't just happen with him. He's in control the entire time. He knows exactly what he needs to do and say to get what he wants out of women."
"It was never like that with us," she argued. "He-"
"He's playing you, Bulla!" Trunks roared. "I know Goten. I mean, really know him," he seethed. "And that guy is a fucking animal. If you knew the things I do, you'd understand exactly why I don't want him anywhere near you." He glanced away in fury. "Maybe this is karma. The universe dishing back for all the fucking around I've done too. Either way, you need to face the fact that you are nothing more than a body to him. I'm sorry to put it so bluntly, but it's true, and it's taking everything I have to not leave this house right now and kill him for putting you through this."
"He doesn't see me that way and I know it!" She proclaimed, clenching her fists.
"How do you know?" He glanced at her impassively, clearly growing tired of her naivety. "Please, enlighten me."
"Because he killed the last guy that treated me like some object!"
The glass bottle fell to the tile floor, straw coloured frothy liquid oozing out of it. "What the fuck are you talking about?" He narrowed his eyes at his teal-haired sibling.
Bulla squeezed her lids shut, loathing to share her version of the night of the attack in full detail. "It happened when that alien army showed up," she began. "After you took off, two of them were left to deal with me and Goten. They thought he was a regular human so they didn't bother with reinforcements. One of them suppressed his ki with that weird gun and the other..." She dropped her gaze and frowned at her hands. "Started getting rough with me."
"Rough how." He straightened in his seat, watching her sceptically.
Her heart was beginning to race. "At first, all he did was hold his hand over my mouth, so I couldn't scream," she answered quietly. "Goten went off at him for scaring me, telling him to fight him instead. The soldier retaliated by slipping his hand into my robe." She glided her hand over her chest to vaguely re-enact the action, glancing up at her brother reluctantly to see his reaction so far. His expression had hardened, but he was quiet and listening intently.
"Goten was begging him not to hurt me. After a while, he took his hand out and put..." She was beginning to breathe more rapidly, desperately urging herself to keep it together. "He put it…" She slipped her right hand between her clenched thighs. The teen jumped in her seat when she heard the sudden crack of electricity from her brother.
"Did he touch you?" He asked quietly, eyes fixed on his sister.
Throwing her hand to her mouth, she closed her eyes and nodded, tears slowly beginning to fall. She heard him curse under his breath as he tensed his fists.
"Please tell me it didn't go any further than that," he voiced softly.
"He pushed me onto the ground and held me down," she whispered. "And said the other soldier could get a turn when he was done." The lights started to flicker as Trunks' ki climbed, his breathing becoming increasingly audible. "And then Goten overpowered the gun somehow. He was on that soldier so fast I didn't even see it happen. He just..." She shook her head, wrinkling her brows in disbelief. "He was so mad, Trunks." She finally looked up to her brother. "I've never seen anyone that angry in my entire life, I still see it play in my head two years later. The guy didn't even get a word in. He murdered him, just like that. I know you guys have had to defend yourselves before. I'm not so naive as to think each one of you doesn't have blood on your hands, but this wasn't self-defence, Trunks. It was vicious. Before I knew it, it was over and Goten was covered in blood... I couldn't believe I'd just seen a Son kill someone so ruthlessly."
"Why didn't you tell me this sooner?" He asked, frowning at his sister from his spot near the bench top.
"I never wanted anyone to know," she breathed. "I was so ashamed. I promised myself I wasn't going to think about that night ever again." Easier said than done.
He nodded, sighing as he loosened his arms.
Bulla took a few deep breaths. I have to keep going. He needs to hear the whole story. "What did he tell you about that weekend at his apartment?"
"I'm starting to think not nearly enough," Trunks answered harshly, nostrils flaring.
"Well I'll fill you in then, so you can really understand why you shouldn't hate him for it." She held her brother's gaze briefly before continuing.
"On the first night, he immediately offered his bed for me to sleep in, insisting that he'd sleep on the couch. I was having nightmares so I asked if he could stay next to me. He did, and kept his hands completely to himself. He wouldn't even look in my direction when I was wrapped in a towel. In the morning he made us breakfast and we sat down to figure out what the heck we should do. He shot down every suggestion I made because he felt it would put me in too much danger. He said his number one priority was to protect me, and that's what he did. He even turned away a really hot date so that he could stay home and do absolutely nothing with me."
Trunks was observing her cautiously, eyes still narrowed.
"On the second night, I got into his liquor stash."
At this, he frowned, but kept his reservations to himself.
"I got totally plastered. We danced and laughed and had a great time. I ended up on his couch and even told him we should sleep on it together," she shared candidly, uncaring at how terribly she came off. "And do you know what he did? He laughed, and then carried me back to bed when I passed out. He tucked me in, said goodnight and spent the rest of the evening on that shitty, old sofa. Are you starting to see a pattern? He had so many opportunities to make a move or take advantage or do whatever you think he would have done, but he didn't. He never laid a finger on me."
"Then why did he say it started back then?" He asked, lifting his head curiously, disposition notable softer than the night before.
"Because once the last day rolled around, I realised I was starting to feel something for him," she admitted. "I kissed him. It was a stupid thing to do, but it happened."
"And he kissed you back," Trunks added through gritted teeth.
"Yes, he did," she affirmed, gaze unwavering from her brother's. "But he was also the one to stop it. He said it was wrong and I said I didn't care, that I wanted it, and then I kissed him again."
"Bulla, what were you thinking?" He frowned, throwing his arms out in disbelief. "He was so much older than you!"
"It doesn't really matter at this point does it," she answered coolly. "Because now he's taking the blame for my stupidity."
"Let's pretend that what you're saying is one-hundred percent true and accurate, which I highly doubt," Trunks added with a condescending smile. "Maybe you did start it, if that's how you want to see it, but it was his job to end it and he didn't." His expression straightened. "There's no excuse for what he's done since. I bet he was counting down the days to your eighteenth birthday. He's fucking disgusting."
"I swear to you he wasn't," she insisted. "It was just a coincidence, honestly- "
"Look, Bulla, I've entertained your tales for long enough. I'm tired of this, go back home."
"But Trunks-"
"Leave. And if I see him around here again, I can't promise that I won't kill him with my own bare hands."
Bulla rose from her seat defeatedly, exiting Trunks' house without another word. I'm sorry Goten, she lamented.
"Hi," Bulla greeted quietly.
"Hi," he returned.
Kami he looks terrible, she frowned. A black eye, split lip, swollen cheek and extensive bruising just about everywhere on his face.
"You're not suppressing your ki," he stated plainly.
"There's no point in hiding anymore," she responded, unable to take her eyes off his marred face, noting that even the unbruised eye showed dark circles and heavy lids.
"Is it really a good idea for you to be here right now?" He sighed, gazing down at her doubtfully.
"I don't think things could get much worse than they already are," she answered softly. "But I can go if you want me to."
He took a step back, opening his door.
Bulla was instantly hit with the smell of booze as she made her way down his passage. Her suspicions were confirmed by the numerous beer bottles dotted around the kitchen and living room.
"It's funny," she voiced, turning back to face the dark-haired halfling. "Trunks' place looks exactly the same right now."
He was leaning against the wall opposite his kitchen. At the mention of his oldest friend, Goten looked over to her hopefully. "How is he?"
She shook her head silently, frowning as she watched the older hybrid's face fall further. "Let's get out of here," she suggested, offering a weak smile. "Your apartment's all stuffy." She threw a few more drinks in her bag and grabbed a spare blanket from his hallway closet. Taking his hand, she lead him through the front door to the main stairwell. Reluctantly, he followed.
"Ready?"
Bulla had her left palm pressed into the crook of her extended right arm, one eye closed. Right hand was open and stiff, pointed toward the air in front of her. The sound of shattering glass was followed by a celebratory hop. "Nailed it," she beamed, opening her eyes and turning to the man behind her.
"Very nice," Goten smiled, quickly tossing another bottle, sending it spinning rapidly out passed her.
A blue ball shot out of her hand once more, hitting the empty vessel and causing it to burst on impact. "Sneaky!" She spun around. "I wasn't ready that time." She made her way back to the blanket she'd opened up on the cold concrete rooftop, sitting herself down in a cross-legged position. Grabbing another drink, Goten joined her, getting down on his back and leaning into his elbows.
He popped off the bottle cap and flicked it up above him. Keeping his eyes on his beverage, he aimed his index finger to the sky. A pencil thin stream of yellow light beamed out from the tip, hitting the small metal disc in an instant.
"Show off," Bulla muttered, shoving his thigh teasingly. She watched him silently as he placed his bottle down next to him, rested his head on the ground and fixed his gaze to the darkening sky with a soft sigh.
Bulla extended her legs and flipped around, coming onto her stomach next to him. "Do you think we should stop seeing each other," she asked quietly. He had been notably more distant all evening, and while she could write it off as being fallout from their untimely exposure the night before, part of her suspected it's what he had been mulling over in his quiet moments.
"I'd be lying if I said I haven't asked myself the same thing," he answered absently, watching the clouds race by overhead. She scrunched her eyes, a lump already forming in her throat. "Do you?"
"I don't want to," she admitted, trying her best to keep her voice steady. "But I do think it's had pretty bad consequences already for something so casual."
He rolled his head to gaze upon the heiress. "Casual?" He repeated, furrowing his brow.
"Well, yeah," she shrugged. "I figured that's what this was since we never spoke about it. I assume you've been seeing other people."
"I haven't." He kept his eyes on the teal-haired halfling.
"Oh. If you were though, that's okay. I mean, it's not like you're my boyfriend or anything. I don't want to tie you down and stop you from doing what you want."
"This is what I want," he stated plainly. Bulla met his gaze shyly, cheeks beginning to warm at his candidness. "I don't know what kind of guy you think I am," he added with a curl of his lip. "But I don't make a habit of getting my face beaten in for women that I'm seeing casually."
Bulla snorted, bringing her palm to her mouth. "Sorry," she mumbled through her hand. The corners of her eyes were lifting as she struggled to mask the rising giddiness.
"Look, Bulla," he sighed, eyebrows converging as he looked to back to the sky and considered his words. "I know I haven't been open enough with you. The truth is, I've had such a hard time trying to figure out what the fuck is going on in my own head. But I know I've never felt this way about anyone before." He shifted his gaze to meet hers soberly. "It's terrifying."
Bulla's heart began to race as she attempted to make sense of his admission. "So you meant what you said to Trunks then," she whispered. "About..."
"About being in love with you? Yes."
Her head felt like it was about to explode. She couldn't believe she was hearing these words out of Goten Son's mouth, here in broad daylight, lying on the roof of his apartment, while they blasted empty beer bottles over West City.
"Did you think I was lying?" He queried with a hint of amusement.
"No, I just..." She took in a deep breath before glancing back at the handsome fighter. "Sort of convinced myself I'd misunderstood or something."
"Twice?" He teased, causing the heiress to blush.
"How long have you felt that way about me?" She asked cautiously.
"Like most things to do with you," he smirked, pinching her chin between his thumb and forefinger. "It snuck up on me. What I can say, is since that first taste, I haven't been able to get you out of my mind."
The teen's eyes widened in surprise.
He returned his gaze skyward. "I tried pushing it away, looked for alternatives, threw myself into my job. Nothing worked. And you know what? Your dad fucking knew it." He tossed out his bottle, blasting it before Bulla even had a chance to watch its trajectory. "He wasn't seeing the guilt of what happened between us when he looked into my eyes back then. He saw what was burning in me right then and there. I wanted you, and he knew it."
"What?" She uttered, eyebrows converging in disbelief. "How can you be so sure?"
"He told me, clear as day," he answered, causing her heart to all but stop. "Do you remember that spar me and him had a few months back? He threatened me for the first time after that fight, and I have to admit, it was chilling. I felt like I got a glimpse of the man he used to be before he settled down with your mom."
"What did he say to you?" She frowned.
"It's been a while," he sighed. "But it started out like, 'Don't for one second think I don't know what you're doing'. You and I had just recently slept together at that point, so I thought that's what he was getting at. I figured I was about to meet my maker. But then he added something to the effect of, 'If you ever think about touching her, remind yourself how easily I just buried you.'" A wry smile appeared on Goten's face. "He didn't realise he'd just showed his hand. Clearly, he had no idea how far we'd already gone. And I admit, it felt pretty fucking good to know I'd slipped one past your dad once again."
"You still came over that evening after everyone went to sleep," she reared. "How could you do that when you knew he was on to you?"
"After our first night together." He ran his fingers through his hair. "I swear something in me awakened. I felt like I was on fire. Everything inside me was telling me I needed to be with you again and again and again." He glanced back at her and added with a smirk, "I'm not sure if that's ever gone away."
She let out a hearty laugh and shoved him once again, happy to see his cheeky side slowly returning. "You were like a wild animal back then. More than once I remember thinking you looked feral."
"There was more to it than that though," he continued, smile straightening. "Underneath it all, I started to realise I felt a hell of a lot more for you than just lust."
The teen dropped her gaze to the ground, body starting to shiver from the building nerves.
He pushed himself up so their heads were inline. "I love you, Bulla," he spoke seriously, fixing his eyes to hers. "I'm completely, desperately in love with you. And I've wanted to tell you so many times, but the words just got stuck in my throat, so I'd kiss you instead and hope you could somehow feel what I felt."
She tilted her head, teal brows drawing together sympathetically.
"I guess it took being tenderised by your brother to finally be able to say it," he laughed before adding, "But you're all I think about. All I want to see. Everything that's ever been important to me suddenly doesn't matter quite as much." He slipped his fingers behind her neck and thumbed her cheek softly. "I don't know if I could face never seeing you again. Not being able to touch you, or hear you laugh. See you smile."
Bulla leaned in and pressed her lips to his gently, butterflies coursing through her from tip to toe. "I think we've got our answer."
Post chapter notes:
I guess the 'Drama' part of the story's genre is finally getting some use, hah! Hopefully you're not tired of it yet, because we still have a few more stops to make.
A little hint: the next chapter's title is Through the Eyes of the Prince. I'll let you guess what will be involved :)
All that being said, I think I should let you guys know with enough notice that... this show is almost over. Next update is second-to-last. Yep, two more after this and that's it, folks (I'm not crying, I swear!)