11- Blooming
Pan smiled as she glanced around Brief Manor's backyard. Chi-Chi and Bulma had decorated it with lights and streamers. Both women had gone a little overboard for the welcoming home party for Trunks and Goten. Pan couldn't blame them, though. She was happy the boys were back too.
Z Fighters were scattered out across the backyard. Krillin was in deep conversation with Gohan about something. Marron and Eighteen sat under a shade, playing with Tsu. Bulla and Seventeen weren't that far away, sitting close together on a bench. Bulla had been all too excited to tell Pan the day after her first date that she and Seventeen were dating.
The rest of the Z Fighters, Yamcha, Tien, Master Roshii, and Yajirobe, sat at the table playing a card game. Dende stood nearby, watching curiously, and Piccolo was off to the side away from everyone.
Pan wasn't surprised to see her Papa and Vegeta at the snack table. She heard her Mama and Bulma coming, and she rushed over to the men.
"Hey," Pan greeted. "Your wives are coming."
Vegeta disappeared in a flash. Goku's eyes widened before he grinned. "Thanks, Panny!" He said as he dashed away.
Pan was chuckling after them when her Mama and Bulma walked up to her.
"Panny, can you do us a favor?" Bulma asked.
"Sure," she nodded. "What is it?"
"Stand guard at the front door and make sure the boys come to the party," Chi-Chi said.
"It's mostly for Trunks," Bulma huffed. "He'll try to get out of coming- I just know it! But he'll listen to you," she smiled at Pan.
"Okay," she laughed with a nod. "I'll bribe Goten with the food, and I'll drag Trunks back here."
"That's our girl," Chi-Chi smiled.
Pan headed inside and stood nearby the front door. It didn't take it long to open, and Goten walked inside.
"There's a party out back," Pan told him. "Mama made all your favorite snacks."
"Alright!" Goten smirked before he took off. Pan knew he would be easy. At the mere mention of food Goten was convinced.
"Hold it!" Pan reached out and grabbed Trunks' arm. He had sneaked in behind Goten and had attempted to go up the stairs. "You have to go to your party."
Trunks sighed and stepped in front of Pan, "there should be a rule that lets your ditch parties, especially when they're for you."
Pan couldn't respond to him. She was too busy looking at him. He was wearing a dark gray suit that fit him very well. The white shirt he had on was buttoned, and the black-tie was pressed.
"Panna?" Trunks called to her.
She blinked as she came out of her daze. "Sorry," she mumbled with pink cheeks.
Trunks smirked, "were you checking me out?"
"Maybe," she muttered. They had only been dating for a week, and it was her first time seeing him in a suit since then! "Come on-" she grabbed his hand to lead him outside.
Trunks chuckled and spun Pan around until her back hit the wall. He smirked at her, his blue eyes shining. "I was checking you out as well."
Pan grew warm as his eyes roamed down her body, taking in the short dark blue dress she had on. It made her pale legs look longer than they were. Trunks' gaze focused on her breasts for a few seconds, the cut giving him a great view, and Pan shivered as he met her gaze.
Trunks reached out to her, his fingers tilting her chin up slightly. Her eyes fluttered close, and Trunks' lips were on hers.
Pan leaned against the wall as she kissed Trunks. She could feel her body responding to him. Her hands ran over his blazer, soaking in the touch of smooth fabric over firm muscles. She grabbed his tie, silky and soft, and pressed him closer to her.
Trunks' hands roamed down her sides. They squeezed her hips, bringing her against him before his fingers traced up her bare arms, causing her to shiver. One of his hands came to her hip and traced up the curve of her body before stopping at her breast. Pan encouraged him with a small whine that turned into a moan as he palmed her breast. Trunks made a low noise from the back of his throat and tightened his hold on her.
Pan could kiss Trunks like this all night, but an eerie feeling was washing over her. One that made it feel like she was being watched. She leaned back and looked over, a startled shriek ripping from her throat.
Master Roshii stood not too far away. His glasses were foggy, his cheeks pink, and a wide grin on his face.
"You don't have to stop," Roshii said. "I don't mind."
Trunks huffed and pulled Pan to his other side, further away from Roshii. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Not happening, Old Man. I don't share."
"You Saiyans are so greedy!" Roshii muttered as they walked past him.
"Still a pervert," Pan sighed. "I think Mama needs to give him a few more whacks with her iron skillet."
Trunks laughed, "I would pay good money to see that!"
Chi-Chi glanced around her home with a warm smile. It was October 14th, Pan's 19th birthday, and the Briefs and Chestnuts were over to celebrate it. The weather outside was cold and rainy, trapping everyone inside for the celebration, but Chi-Chi didn't mind it.
Vegeta and Krillin, who surprisingly got along, were playing one of Goten's old video games. Bulma and Eighteen, who was holding a sleeping Tsu, was sitting on the couch, chatting. Gohan, Marron, Goten, Bulla, Seventeen, and Trunks were all sitting around the table playing a card game. Pan was sitting on Trunks' lap, her arms around his neck as she laughed at something he said.
Chi-Chi was happy things worked out between Pan and Trunks. They had been dating for several months now, and it was clear by the way they looked at each other that their feelings were genuine and real. Chi-Chi could still remember when Pan had been thirteen, and Trunks left. She had been so worried about something happening to her daughter then, and even though things were great now, Chi-Chi still had this fear of something happening to Pan.
Not every secret had been revealed.
Arms wrapped around Chi-Chi's shoulders, and she felt a gentle kiss on her temple. "You're worried about it again, Chi," Goku said softly.
She let out a sigh and reached a hand up to pat his. "One more year," she said.
They had agreed to wait until Pan was twenty before they told their children what Chi-Chi was, and what they were part of. Chi-Chi had hoped for years and years that none of her children inherited what ran through her veins. Her ancestors had been a lot stronger than her, and over the years, it weakened from generation to generation. At first, it seemed like the Saiyan genes from Goku dominated, at least with her boys, but Pan was another story. She could almost feel it running through her. Her daughter didn't know what was inside of her yet, and Chi-Chi almost wasn't ready to tell her.
Chi-Chi had seen that power corrupt many, and she knew her daughter had a good heart and wouldn't be swayed. What she was worried about was someone wanting Pan's power for their own. She shuddered at the thought.
"Panny's strong, Chi," Goku squeezed her shoulders. "She takes after you."
Chi-Chi let out a small laugh of relief. Leave it to her Goku to make her feel so much better. She turned in his arms and smiled up at him before she leaned in to kiss him.
"Yuck." Chi-Chi and Goku broke apart to see Goten standing nearby, a frown on his face. "Can't you two do that somewhere else?"
"Like the bedroom?" Goku suggested innocently.
Goten shuddered, "that's a thought I never wanted to have."
"You act like you don't know how you got here, mister," Chi-Chi shook her head at him playfully.
"I know," Goten nodded. "I choose not to think about it," he grinned before he headed towards the fridge.
Goku chuckled and kissed Chi-Chi's head before walking towards the living room to watch Vegeta and Krillin. Chi-Chi decided to walk over to her middle child, who was digging around the fridge.
"How was your date the other night?" She asked softly.
It had been a little over a month ago that Goten had sat her and Goku down and told them that he liked men. He hadn't been too surprised by the fact that they already knew, but he had just wanted it out in the open. Chi-Chi had never thought differently of him. He was still our little boy. Sometimes he was a bit air-headed, like his father, and more times than not, he was messy. He ate her out of house and home regularly, but he was wise beyond his years, gentle, with a big heart. Chi-Chi loved him more than words could express, and his sexual orientation did not change that.
"It was boring," Goten sighed. "The guy was a total nerd."
"Hey!" Gohan came into the kitchen with a frown. "What's wrong with nerds? You happen to have a big brother who's a nerd."
"Yeah, and a best friend too!" Bulla added with a laugh as she motioned towards Trunks.
"I'm a hot nerd, though!" Trunks huffed out his comment.
"No, this guy was just bad, okay?" Goten said. "He was talking equations, and I'm like, dude, I'm just trying to eat this pasta. Can't we at least talk about something we have in common since it's the first date? We had nothing in common," he muttered.
Chi-Chi let out a small sigh. Her heart felt heavy for Goten. She could tell that he wanted someone to spend his life with. Everyone else seemed to have someone but him.
She reached out and squeezed his arm, "don't worry, honey. You'll find the right guy soon. I know it."
"This is a lame-ass date," Seventeen huffed as he stared at his paintbrush.
Bulla pouted beside him, "you think our date is lame?"
His eyes widened slightly, a look of panic across his face.
"Bulla, stop teasing him," Pan snickered from her spot where she was painting. "I know it's boring, but thanks for helping Seventeen."
They were currently painting her flower shop. The remodeling of it was finally done, and so the final touches were getting added to it. Pan had to admit that Trunks picked the perfect building for it.
The front entrance was wide with big picture windows in the front and side walls, allowing plenty of sunlight to shine through. Pan already had ideas on where the plants and flowers could hang, as well as displays for her lotions and perfumes. The back rooms consisted of a bathroom, storage that contained a freezer to help keep the plants fresh, and a greenhouse behind the shop. There was also a small hidden path leading to a secret backdoor of Capsule Corp- the real reason Trunks had wanted to get the shop for Pan. It really was close to CC.
The shop door opened and Trunks and Goten walked in. "Seriously, Pan?" Goten asked as he stepped inside. "Pansies? You're naming your shop, Pansies?"
"What's wrong with that?!" Pan demanded.
"Hey! It's cute!" Bulla added as she waved her paintbrush towards Goten. "Plus, aren't you working here also?"
Goten sighed, "I thought the name was going to be something badass."
"It's a flower shop," Seventeen deadpanned. "You wanted it to be named Death by Petals?"
Goten's eyes widened, "hey! That's a good one!"
"No," Pan said sternly. "We-" cold hands pressed against her cheeks suddenly, and she shrieked. "Trunks! You're cold!" She turned to glare at him.
He smirked at her and laughed as he kissed her forehead. "Sorry, it's freezing out there-" he rubbed his hands on his shirt. "And it's only November."
"Trunks, you cannot let her name the store Pansies," Goten told him.
"Why?" He raised an eyebrow. "It's cute, plus it's named after her."
Goten let out a groan and shook his head. Pan could hear him muttering something about how he'd never be so whipped when he gets a boyfriend.
Suddenly, a few knocks were on the shop door, and Goten, being the closest, went to open it. Paper was tapped across the glass front of it to keep paint off, and all Pan could see was an outline of what looked like a man.
Goten opened up the door, and Pan had been right. It was a man. He was few inches shorter than Goten, with long dark red hair pulled into a low ponytail and dark brown eyes. He had a handsome face and seemed fit, too.
"Oh, hello," he said in a smooth voice. "My name is Eijiro Kanai," he gave the group a small bow of his head. "I own the bakery next door. I'm sorry I haven't been over sooner. I knew you guys were renovating; I hope I didn't come at a bad time?"
Goten looked as if he was in a daze, so Pan spoke up. "No, it's not a bad time. Thanks for stopping by," she said with a smile. "I'm Pan Son, and this is my flower shop."
"Ah," Eijiro's eyes widened. "Pansies- Pan, I get it! Cute and clever!" He chuckled, "anyways, I was just bringing these over," he held up several paper bags that had his bakery's name, Snack Attack written across them. "Cookies. Freshly baked just a few minutes ago!" He grinned.
Pan wasn't sure if Goten would speak at first, but he managed to take the bags. "Thank you," he smiled.
"Yeah, no problem," Eijiro smiled softly. "Welcome, neighbors! I'll see you around!" He gave them a wave before he left.
Goten shut the door softly behind Eijiro before he turned around, the bags of cookies clutched to his chest. His eyes were wide, and his cheeks were pink. "Pan, I'm working here with you."
"Oh?" Pan raised an amused eyebrow. "I thought you didn't like the name?"
Goten snorted, "I love it. It's cute and clever!" He declared as he took off to the back where a table was.
Pan smiled and shared a look with Trunks, who was smirking. She had a feeling that she would be having to keep a watchful eye on her brother and make sure that he didn't sneak off to the bakery every chance he got.