14- A Kiss in the Moonlight
Mid-Winter
"I'm not boring you, am I?" Pan asked Trunks nervously. She was holding onto his arm as they walked down the castle hallways. It was far too cold for her to be outside, so she suggested taking Trunks on a tour of the castle. Gohan and Yamcha were in the next city, attending general meetings so they wouldn't be there to spy on them. Lapis was off for the day, so he wouldn't be there to put a damper on things.
Even though Pan wanted to show Trunks her castle, he was a Prince of his palace, so she doubted he was impressed by anything they had.
"Of course not," he smiled at her. "I enjoy listening to you, and your castle is quite fantastic. It's amazing how similar yet different mine is."
"Really?" Pan asked curiously.
Trunks nodded. "Maybe one day I can take you on a tour of my castle."
"I would love that!" Pan said with a beaming smile. She wanted nothing more than to go to Trunks' home and see the castle he lived in. She wanted to know as much as possible about him.
"Okay," Pan said as she turned her attention back to the tour. "Up ahead is a greenhouse we have on the south side of the castle. It's beautiful! I come in here a bit to help out with the planets, and it's where I got the seeds for the garden in the clearing. It- Mama?" She said when she noticed her mother's familiar bun.
Chi-Chi turned around and smiled at Pan. Her eyes cast over to Trunks, and she tilted her head curiously. "Ah-" her eyes widened. "This must be Dr. Breif's grandson I've heard so much about."
"Yes, Queen Mother," he bowed his head respectfully.
"Please, just call me Chi-Chi," she told him gently. "Your name is Trunks, correct?"
"Yes," Trunks nodded slowly.
"And you're the one who makes Panny rush through her meals so she can meet you."
"Mama!" Pan whispered in horror as her cheeks grew hot.
Trunks chuckled, "I think I am guilty on that charge."
Pan pouted as she let go of Trunks' arm and walked over to Chi-Chi. "Mama, what are you doing here?" She asked to change the subject from herself.
"I was just rearranging these pots," she sighed as she placed her hands on her hips and motioned to the large pots in front of her. "They're too heavy for me to move, though. I was going to call a guard to help me, but-" her eyes glanced over at Trunks. "If you don't mind, could you help me? I hate calling a guard to help. They want to linger and make sure I'm fine."
"That sounds like the guards," Pan agreed. The guards did that for her as well. Some of them only did it because Gohan ordered them to, but there were many that Pan could tell did it because they genuinely cared for her and Chi-Chi.
"Of course," Trunks stepped forward. "What do you need to move and where to?"
Pan watched as Chi-Chi instructed Trunks to move two pots to the other side of the room. He lifted the first one effortlessly, and Chi-Chi's eyes widened slightly.
"He's stronger than I thought," she mused to Pan.
"He works out," Pan whispered back with a wink.
Chi-Chi let out a smile and patted the gardening apron she was wearing. "Oh no! Panny, I left my gardening gloves in the supply closet down the hall. Will you go get them?"
"In the supply closet?"
"Yes," Chi-Chi nodded.
Pan glanced at Trunks, who was coming back for the last pot. She smiled, "I'm going to get Mama's gardening gloves. I'll be right back," she told him.
Trunks watched in amusement as Pan left the room in small skips. He bent down and picked up the last pot, and when Chi-Chi fell in step beside him, he wasn't surprised. He had a sneaky feeling that she sent Pan out so she could talk to him privately- no doubt she was going to question him and make sure he wasn't some creep or jerk.
"So, Trunks, this is the first time you ever stayed with your Grandpa in the Central City," Chi-Chi began.
Trunks' lips twitched again. He knew it.
"What made you come here?"
"I was curious," he answered honestly. That curiosity had been the very thing that made him follow Pan's singing that fateful day. His interest grew, and it's what made him keep coming back to find out more things about her. "I hadn't seen my grandpa in many years," Trunks added. "I was curious as to how he was doing."
Trunks watched as Chi-Chi nodded slowly. Pan favored her mother much with her wide eyes and lips. Chi-Chi's nose was long, elegant, and sharp, different than Pan's little button nose. And Chi-Chi's eyes were a warm brown color that had flakes of gold in them. Pan's eyes were almost solid black, a shade so dark that Trunks was sure he could see stars in them.
"Why are you staring at me?" Chi-Chi asked.
"Sorry," Trunks apologized as he sat the pot he was holding down. "I was just noticing how you and Panna favor each other. I was wondering where she got her dark eyes from."
Chi-Chi smiled softly, "her late father. She has his eyes," she let out a small sigh. "You know, I used to know your mother."
Trunks nodded slowly, "Pan's uncle dated her for a while, right?"
Chi-Chi let out a laugh, "if that's what you want to call it. I think he was smitten with her, but your mother always had bigger plans. She was going to go somewhere great and be wonderful," she smiled. "How is she doing?"
"She's doing wonderful," Trunks answered with a smile. He didn't know anything about Dr. Brief's daughter and her life, but if he was going to play the part, then he could at least pretend his Eomma was her.
"And your Appa?" Chi-Chi asked quietly.
"He's a pain in-" Trunks' eyes widened, now fully registering what Chi-Chi had asked. He took a step back from her as she gave him a knowing look. He was sure he looked like a deer in headlights, and that was because he had just been caught. "How did you know?" He whispered thickly.
Would she call the guards? Or maybe forbid him from seeing Pan? His stomach dropped at the thought.
"This last summer, Pan got sick," Chi-Chi began. "When she gets sick like that, I stay with her and sleep in the chair in the corner next to her bed. One night, someone came inside Pan's room from her balcony. Imagine my surprise," her eyes widened. "I almost called for the guards and was about ready to shield my daughter, but then she whispered a name- your name. And you were drunk," she muttered with a small glare.
Trunks' cheeks grew hot, and he swallowed thickly again. He hadn't made a great first impression on her. "I- I didn't mean to barge into her room. I didn't do it for anything indecent. I was just-"
"Giving her medicine, I know," Chi-Chi said. Her eyes softened as she looked at him. "I heard you mention your Appa, and I knew it was a Saiyan term. Next thing I knew, Dr. Brief had a grandson by your name as well. I thought it was odd," she mused. "I don't know how you two managed to talk Dr. Brief into going along with this-" she gestured in the air in front of him- "facade, but I had to see if you were the same one who came into Pan's room that night."
"Yeah, I am," Trunks whispered. He didn't see the point in lying to her or trying to hide it. It could make matters worse in the end.
"And you're also the one who she meets with almost daily in her room?"
"Yes."
Chi-Chi let out a heavy sigh as she looked at the ground. "Did Pan ever tell you about her brother Goten?" She whispered.
"The one that ran away?" Trunks asked curiously. "She's only mentioned him a few times. She seemed to have been close to him."
"She was," Chi-Chi nodded. "After he left, Gohan became worried about Pan, and he kept her secure by keeping her in the castle most of the time. She didn't fight him. Instead, she hid into the shadows that blended into backgrounds. Do you know that it wasn't until she met you that I saw her start to hum to herself again? Or I saw her smiling, and I knew it was genuine. Thank you," she whispered.
Trunks opened his mouth to speak, but Pan walked back in at that moment.
"Mama, I didn't find your gloves," she frowned.
"Oh, my," Chi-Chi gasped before she scanned the room. "Oh!" She walked over to a nearby table and picked up a pair of pink gloves. "I'm sorry I made you go all the way down the hall to look, Panny."
"It's okay," she smiled. "What were you guys talking about?" She asked curiously.
"I was just inviting Trunks to dinner. I hope he can stay."
Pan gasped and looked up at Trunks I'm eager hopefulness. "Can you?"
He smiled at her. How would he ever be able to resist those star-speckled eyes of hers? "Yeah, I would love to."
Pan squealed and grabbed his arm and squeezed it. "This is so great! Come on, and I'll show you the rest of the castle!"
Trunks glanced back at Chi-Chi as Pan started to lead him out of the greenhouse. He caught the older woman's eyes, and she gave him a gentle smile. The slight nod of her head caused a river of relief to rush through Trunks. She trusted him to take care of Pan.
"Panna," Trunks looked down at her as they walked down the hallway.
"Yes?" She glanced up at him.
"I'm happy I met you."
Pan's dark eyes widened, and her smile stretched across her face. She squeezed his arm tighter. "Trunks, I-"
"Princess!" A maid rushed down the hall urgently. "Lord Koba is here."
"What?" Pan gasped as she let go of Trunks' arm. "Why is he here unexpectedly? Lapis is not here, and neither is Gohan!"
"I don't know, Princess," the maid shook her head. "He simply stated that he wished to see you."
Pan let out a heavy sigh, and Trunks watched as the frown on her face deepened. "Lord Koba? Is he the one you had to have tea with a few weeks back?" He vaguely remembered her telling him about it. She didn't mention much about the Lord, other than the fact that she didn't like him.
Pan nodded slowly. "I'll go deal with him. Stay here," she said before she followed the maid down the hall.
Trunks tilted his head as he watched her go. He wasn't worried about her ditching him for some lame Lord. He was concerned about that said Lord trying to weasel his way into staying, though. Something didn't sound right. Why would a Lord show up unexpectedly without the King or Royal Advisor's permission?
With a small sigh, Trunks followed Pan's low Ki until neared the hallway just outside the grand entranceway. He peeked around the corner, watching as Pan neared a tall man. Trunks wanted to snort. His hair looked so gelled up that Trunks was positive that he had to be careful not to get close to any open flames for fear of being caught on fire.
"Princess," Lord Koba bowed lowly as Pan stopped several feet away. "Thank you so much for seeing me. I wanted to apologize about a few weeks ago. It was wrong of me to say those things to you about the Saiyans. I didn't realize it would make you so upset. You were right to defend them, but I'm afraid I just can't see them in the golden light you see them in. I won't mention them again, so can we please agree to disagree? I was hoping we could have a proper meal together and talk."
Trunks' eyes widened. Just what was that girl thinking? Saying who knows what to another earthling about the Saiyans? Still, he couldn't help but be awed and touched. The only Saiyan she had ever met was him, and yet she defended his entire race. The thought caused his breath to catch for a moment.
Pan bowed her head. "Thank you for your apology, Lord Koba. I must decline your offer, though. My brother, the King, is not here to approve. Neither is the Royal Advisor."
"Actually,-" Koba began.
Trunks moved before he could think. "Princess," he walked towards Pan in long strides. Koba glanced at him, his eyes narrowing. Pan glanced at him too, her eyes widening in surprise. "My grandfather has asked me to escort you to his office for your check-up," he gave her a small bow.
"Your grandfather?" Koba asked skeptically.
"Yes, the Royal Physician," Pan said. "Thank you for coming to get me," she told Trunks before she looked back at Koba. "Please excuse me. The guards will show you out."
Pan took Trunks' arm, and he didn't waste a second to turn back to look at Koba as he escorted Pan away. It wasn't until they were safely away from the grand entranceway that he stopped.
"So that was Koba?" He side-eyed Pan.
"Yeah," she muttered.
There was so much that Trunks wanted to ask her. Mostly, he wanted to know what Koba had said about the Saiyans that had made her upset, but Trunks didn't ask. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. It was an action that surprised him just as much as it did her. He leaned back, his cheeks tingling.
"How about we finish that tour?" He said.
"Okay," Pan smiled, her cheeks dusting a light shade of pink. "Let's go," she said, tightening her grip on his arm before dragging him away.
Pan glanced at Trunks as she held her cape around her body tightly. "Are you sure you're not cold?" They had just finished supper with her mother, and Pan had decided to show Trunks the moonlit gardens. It was freezing, though, so she was bundled up in her warm cape, scarf, and earmuffs. Trunks was still just wearing what he arrived in. Dark, tight-fitting trousers and mid-calf black leather boots and a dark-grey, long-sleeved shirt. He wasn't wearing a jacket of any kind.
"My Ki keeps me warm," Trunks told her with a small grin. "You just make sure you stay warm."
"I am," she promised.
They walked along with the garden in peaceful silence. The nearly full moon showed them the way through a garden maze. Pan held onto Trunks' arm as they walked together. It always made her heart flutter when they walked so close together.
Pan almost felt as if she were in a dream. She was holding onto the arm of an attractive man and walking through a garden maze. Maybe she was dreaming.
They neared a small archway that led to the center of the maze, and Trunks stopped suddenly. Pan glanced up at him curiously and saw that he was staring up at something. She followed his gaze, and her eyes widened. A mistletoe! The gardeners hadn't taken them down from the Yule!
Heat spread across Pan's face and down her neck as she thought about standing under a mistletoe with Trunks. She let go of his arm with a small laugh, trying her best not to show any sort of embarrassment.
"The gardeners must have forgotten to take that one down," she said as she walked past the archway without him quickly.
"Does a mistletoe mean something to you guys on earth?" Trunks asked curiously.
Pan looked at him with wide eyes. "Why are you asking that? Don't you have traditions with mistletoe on Vegeta-Sei?"
He shook his head slowly. "No, I was just staring at it cause I thought it was weird for a plant to be hanging down like that. Why was it hanging down?"
"On earth," Pan began as she laced her fingers together nervously. "There's a tradition that you hang mistletoes up on doorways, and when couples pass under them, they-" she let out a small breath. "They kiss," she whispered.
Trunks' eyebrows furrowed together before he turned around to look at the mistletoe. "Interesting," He commented. "Do you follow that tradition, Panna?"
"What?" She couldn't fight the tremor in her voice as his blue eyes looked at her.
"How many people have you kissed underneath a mistletoe? Or have you ever been kissed before?"
"I've been kissed!" She gasped.
Trunks raised his eyebrows at her, his way of questioning her bluff without even speaking.
Pan felt the chilly air hit her warm cheeks, and she turned away from Trunks in embarrassment. "Fine. I've never been kissed," she muttered.
It was silent for several seconds.
"Can I kiss you?"
Pan wasn't sure she heard him correctly over the loud beating of her heart. She turned slowly to face him. He looked so handsome. The low light made his tanned skin look like dark honey, and his lavender hair was several shades darker.
"What did you say?" She whispered.
Trunks walked over to her and stopped just a few inches away. His exotic musk filled her nostrils, and a shiver ran down her back.
"Can I kiss you?"
"Yes," Pan answered before she even had time to think about what it was he had just asked.
Trunks didn't waste any time. One of his hands grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her close to him as he leaned down. Trunks' lips set Pan's veins on fire. Her lips sizzled in a numb tingle. She barely had time to close her eyes before Trunks pulled away.
It took Pan several seconds to open her eyes. She opened them slowly and pursed her buzzing lips together as she looked up at Trunks. He let go of the back of her neck and slid his hand around, so he was cupping her face. His other hand reached out to grab her waist and pulled her closer to him.
Pan couldn't feel any of the winter cold at the moment. All she felt was the heat between her and Trunks. It felt as if it were hot enough to start a fire.
"Panna, I'm going to kiss you again," Trunks told her hoarsely. "If you don't want me to-"
Pan grabbed the front of his shirt quickly. "Please," she whispered. "I want you to."
Trunks kissed her again, and she was ready. His tongue slid across her bottom lip, and curiously, Pan opened her mouth. She didn't know what to do. Trunks moved his tongue and slide across hers slowly, and she let out a small shiver as she slid her tongue against his. He tasted like sweet grape, the flavor of the juice that had been served with the meal.
Pan's hands were shaking as she let go of Trunks' shirt and wrapped them around his waist. Trunks' hand that had been holding her waist roamed up and stroked her back, causing Pan to let out a soft moan as a shiver ran up her back. She could hear the deep rumble of Trunks' purr. She could feel it vibrating against her chest and stomach, and she felt something growing low in her stomach.
Trunks grabbed Pan's bottom lip and gave it a suck, his teeth gently scraping over the sensitive skin before he pulled away. It took Pan even longer this time to open her eyes. She never knew that kissing could feel so nice.
Trunks' thumb was stroking her warm cheek, and her heart was pounding as she looked up at him. It was unspoken, but she knew that something between them had just changed. How could friends kiss as they had and only remain friends? She licked her bottom lip and could still taste him.
"Now you can say that you've been kissed, Princess," he told her gently.
Pan gave him a shy smile as she nodded her head. Her legs were shaky and unstable. Her hands were still shaking, and Trunks pulled her close to him again. His hands ran through her hair as he hugged her.
"Do you hear it?" He whispered.
Pan swallowed hard as her ear pressed up against his chest. Through the deep rumble of his purr, she could hear his heartbeat. It was pounding like crazy, just like hers. Pan nodded her head slowly as her stomach fluttered.
"You make it that way," Trunks told her quietly.
Pan held onto him tighter as her nose pressed against his chest. He felt the same way she did.
"Trunks," Pan whispered his name. "I like you," she confessed.
His heart thudded louder, and his grip on her tightened. "Yeah," he sighed. "I like you too, Panna," he said. "I like you a lot."
Pan didn't wish for things very often, but at the moment, she hoped that the night would never end.
"The way you feel when you kiss him for the first time. Like fire within your bones. Like your soul has returned to the water. Like every part of you that came from a dead star is alive again."
-Nikita Gill