I don't own DBZ.
What's Betrayal Among Friends?
Chapter 5 – This isn't what you think
Blue met blue as the two siblings stared at each other; or, on Bra's part, glared.
"This isn't what you think."
"This wasn't you asking Paris to meet over a cup of coffee?"
Trunks blinked, then scratched the back of his head, Son style. A lifetime next to Goten sure got to him.
"Well, when you put it like that…"
The girl crossed her arms, a pose that was almost a trademark of the family's Saiyans.
"How could you?"
"Will you hear me out first?"
A slight raise of an eyebrow told Trunks to speak, but weight his words.
"I just want to talk to her about something."
"Something?"
Trunks sighed, his mind racing.
"If you must know, I… we were gonna look for a present for Goten."
At the mention of the Son boy's name, Bra's composure faltered. Her arms returned to her sides and her frown disappeared.
"Really?"
"Yes. You do remember it's in a month, right?"
"OF COURSE!"
She exclaimed, then realized what she was saying. Arms crossed again, her back turned towards her brother.
"I mean, that is, of course I would remember, Pan-Chan keeps talking about it. I mean, why else would I care for that third class Saiyan or his birthday?"
Trunks smirked, but knew better than to attack his sister on the subject she was most vulnerable at.
"So… I do believe you owe me an apology for that slap."
Bra sighed and turned to face Trunks, regret on her face.
"Sorry, brother. But… you have to see where I'm coming from."
'Yeah, a life long crush on my best friend.'
Trunks finished inwardly.
"'s ok, sis. I understand."
He turned to leave again.
"Trunks?"
"Yeah?"
He could see that Bra was fidgeting. Meaning- this had something to do with Goten.
"Would you go with me and pick a present for him, too? Papa won't be much help there."
"Sure."
"Thanks! And, er, have fun tomorrow!"
"Thanks."
Trunks walked through the halls to his room. When he reached it, closing the door, Trunks slumped to a sitting position, leaning against the door. How he managed to pull it off, and on his sister!
'Thank Dende Goten's name makes whatever rational thoughts my sister has run off screaming.'
He ran a hand through his hand with a sigh.
'That's it. Last try. I have to talk to her!'
9:55. Trunks walked into the coffee house, looking for Paris. When he didn't find her, he ordered a latte, and went to sit in a booth. Trunks tried to calm down when someone covered his eyesight.
"Not funny, Paris."
Paris sat in front of him, pouting.
"aw, you're not fun."
He didn't smile.
"Ok. I'm here. Come on, tell me what's on your mind.
"I know you're more than a horrible flirt."
She tilted her head.
"what do you mean?"
"Two nights ago. Two blocks or so away from Capsule Corp."
Paris tensed visibly. Trunks continued.
"Who was it you were kissing?"
She paled. Trunks shook his head. For the one time in his life, he didn't want to be right.
"Marron! Look, look! Look at this dress!"
Pan exclaimed happily as she pointed at a pink dress in a shop. The blonde smiled as he made her way through the busy street.
"Pink isn't your color, Pan-chan."
"It is yours."
"Sure is!"
Marron said, again, smiling.
"oooh, look at that!"
Pan then turned to point at a pair of jeans with dark yellow sleeveless top that showed the tummy and shoulders, and a brown net-like shirt.
"That'd look good on you, Pan-chan!"
"Let's try it out, then head to Starbucks!"
"ok!"
"What are you talking about? Kissed who…"
"don't lie to me, Paris!"
Trunks slammed his fist against the table; luckily, he was enough in control of himself not to make a dent.
"I saw you! Do you want me to give you the exact time and place?!"
Paris stared at her palms which were in her lap.
"Paris, I know it wasn't Goten. Why? Why're you, to say the least, flirting?"
She giggled.
"Can't a girl have some fun?"
'She's serious. Damn her, she's serious!'
"You're in a relationship, Paris. Not only you. you can't just do what you want!"
"So go ahead."
"Pardon?"
Paris looked straight into Trunks's eyes, a smirk beginning to form on her lips.
"Tell Goten. I dare."
Ooooh, she had him now.
Pan hugged her bag of clothes and sighed as Marron tried on yet another dress; pink, of course.
"Marron-chan… they're all great…"
"I know! It's hard to pick!"
Pan looked at her watch. Only 10 minutes have passed. It seemed to be forever and a day.
"I want my cappuccino!"
Pan said, frustrated.
"Why not go on? I'll be here for a while, meet you there."
Pan seemed thoughtful.
"That might not be such a bad idea."
Trunks blinked.
"come again?"
Paris's face held a full smirk now and she leaned back, arms crossed.
"Tell Goten. Tell him his precious Paris-chan's cheating on him. That his year long girlfriend, namely moi, is breaking his heart? Get real!"
The boy gritted his teeth. She was right, and they both knew it.
"I'd sure like to see he reaction."
"You're awfully sure of yourself. What makes you think he'll believe you over me?"
Trunks's voice was calm and calculated, venomous and icy. His father's glare sure came in handy at times like this. Paris gave a just as calm response.
"The same thing that makes you sit here, praying I'll behave, rather than having told it to my boyfriend, hm, um, I donno, yesterday? Or is it… you want me for yourself?"
Her smirk; her air of superiority; her stupidity at thinking he might really like her; his best friend's best interest; short fuse. Without those, Trunks never would've done the next: he stood up, leaned against the table, and glared like no one in his family ever did. And, coming from a very long line of Vegetas, that's saying a lot.
"I love Goten like a brother. He's my best friend. I can let it slip as long as Goten's happy. But now I see he's bound to get hurt."
The tone of his voice was 100% Saiyan. Paris began moving uncomfortably in her seat, yet didn't break eye contact.
'Damn, he's… he's hot when he's mad' (a/n: true, Paris, oh so true)
Her smirk returned. This only fueled Trunks's anger.
"I'm warning you, Paris. I don't care how. Break it to him gently, push him away, disappear from the face of the Earth; I couldn't care less. Just stay away from him."
"Make me!"
"Oh, believe me, I will."
She was surprised, and just a wee bit scared.
"Is that a threat?"
"Consider it… a promise."
"You won't hurt a lady, will you?"
Paris sounded scared, not just felt it.
"I ain't dealing with one."
Trunks walked away, leaving her startled.
"Oh, and Paris?"
She looked at him with wide eyes.
"You're not invited to the party next week."
He had to smirk.
"I CAN'T TAKE IT NO MORE!"
Marron giggled as she tried on a purple top; she thought it was more towards the pink, though.
"I told you. Go to Starbucks. I'll be there soon… I hope."
Pan kissed her friend's cheek, then ran out the door and headed towards Starbucks. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw Trunks leave the coffee shop. His ki was rather high up, meaning he was pissed off. With a smile, Pan raised her hand to wave at him… until Paris ran out of the shop, graded Trunks, and kissed him; straight on the lips. Hot tears clouded Pan's eyes and she bit her lip, refusing to sob. She turned around and ran, only to bump into Marron; their bags went everywhere.
"Pan-chan, what's wrong… PAN!"
The quarter Saiyan took off into the air, crying out loud. Marron looked at where Pan came from, to notice another figure flying at the other direction. Marron wasn't an expert, but she knew Trunks's Ki well enough to know when it slapped her in the face. Gathering her shopping bags, Marron shook her head. Pan probably just saw Trunks with a female employee or something, the blonde thought.
'She's so sensitive… I hope Trunks didn't mean what Pan thought…'
Pan ran through the door, sobbing like hell. She threw her shopping bags on the couch and ran to her room, breaking down on the bed.
'Trunks, how could you?! I might've understood had it been anyone else… maybe even a bit happy if it was Marron… but PARIS?!'
Goten, who was the only one home, ran to Pan's room. He found her sobbing and rushed to hug her.
"Panny! What's wrong?"
She returned the hug, crying on her uncle's shirt.
"How, Goten? *sob* how could he have done it to me?!"
Goten's anger began boiling. He was just as protective as Gohan when it came to his niece's love life.
"Who, Pan?! Who did what?!"
She looked at him, about to spill everything, when her grief stricken mind found her last resort of logic, and she realized the impact what she was about to say would have on her uncle.
"Panny, please answer me."
His angered worry showed in his eyes. She swallowed back some tears. What was she to do?
