Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ and I'm not making any money from this.
Warning: A hint of citrus, nothing too descriptive.
Chapter 9: And Deeper He Goes
September 15th (08.00)
How did I get here? Just when I thought I'd dug myself as deep as was metaphorically possible, I had to go and do something stupid and dig myself even deeper. It's at times like these, when I'm shuffling down a rainy street, head killing, a couple of billion more brain cells killed off, liver probably having to work the fastest its ever worked, that I wonder: why didn't I just stay home and watch low budget porn?
Maybe I should start explaining myself. Well, thanks to Marron's sudden case of jumping-to-ridiculous-conclusions-itis I ended up having to lie through my teeth, yet again.
Just as I'd hung up on Marron, the phone started ringing again. Hazard a guess at who it was this time. Go on.
"Hi Trunks." She sounded shy.
"Oh...uh...hey, Aya."
"I've been trying to get in touch with you for ages. It's like you disappeared of the face of the earth. Where have you been?"
"Oh, um, work, you know." Trunks, you are hereby pronounced Liar Extraordinaire.
"Right. Listen, Marron told me something, and I want to know if it's true."
"Right."
"So is it?"
"Ah...well...you see..."
"I knew it."
"Knew what?"
"I told Marron she'd got it mixed up."
Now here is where I should have set everything straight by saying something along the lines of: "Yes, Marron has a tendency to jump to conclusions. I'm not in love with you. Sorry and all that." But instead of showing that I did possess the slightest shred of intelligence and doing that, I let my guilt get in the way and said this:
"Aya, listen. I care about you a lot and..."
And I was promptly interrupted.
"Trunks, I feel the same way! I know we haven't know each other for all that long, but that night we spent together, it meant everything to me. I don't think I've ever really been in love before, I guess you're my first. It feels....lovely."
What exactly could I say to that? I couldn't bring myself to hurt her feelings by telling her she'd got it wrong. I tried to break it to her gently, but she was too excited to listen.
"No, Aya, please - "
"When can we see each other again?"
"Aya, I - "
"I'm working today, how about tomorrow, are you free?"
"Well, yeah, but - "
"Great! I'll see you around eight thirty then! Gotta go, my break's almost over!"
"Wait! Aya, listen, that's not how I - "
Click.
~~~~
After she'd hung up on me, I could see Goten out of the corner of me eye. He was smirking in that infuriating way he only uses when he finds something truly hilarious. I slammed the phone down with a growl and stomped out of the kitchen. As soon as I closed the door I heard him erupt into uncontrollable laughter. Bastard.
So I decided I'd take a walk. Bad idea. As I walked along, hands in pockets, head down, generally feeling sorry for myself, I heard a voice call my name. A woman with brown hair and green eyes ran up to me, all smiles.
"Hey! Remember me?"
I studied her face. She was familiar, but why?
"So, where's your boyfriend today?"
Oh. Now I recognised her.
"Hi, Kate."
I didn't even bother telling her that I wasn't gay. I just didn't have the energy.
"What's wrong? You don't seem very happy."
"I'm not."
"Oh, I think I get it. Did you break up with that guy?"
I looked around, disinterestedly, watching everyone as they walked past, and deciding that I hated them, because their lives weren't complicated like mine.
"Don't worry. I know something that'll cheer you up. Come with me, let's go get something to drink."
She grasped my hand and led me through the crowds of people towards what looked like a wine bar. I didn't bother arguing. After we'd found a table and Kate had ordered something, I stared out of the window impassively.
"Want some?"
I turned to Kate, who was holding her bottle out to me. Why the hell not? I nodded, and she poured some out for me.
"So, what's got you so miserable?"
"Stuff."
"Wow, I've never met anyone quite so talkative!" she teased.
"What can I say? It's a gift."
She laughed, and I felt her foot brush against my leg. Blinking, I glanced at her. She was gazing straight at me.
"You know, I think I know something more fun for us to do."
I stared at her, bewildered. I thought she thought I was gay? But whether I was or not didn't seem to matter to her as she got up, grabbing my hand.
"Where are we going?" I asked, allowing her to lead me out of the bar and onto the street again. She didn't reply until we stopped outside an apartment complex.
"You don't have to be anywhere for the next hour do you?" she asked me, and before I could reply, her lips were pressed against mine. And even though I knew that I was just making things worse for myself, I found my arms wrapped around her easily, pulling her body against me. Breaking the kiss, she looked up.
"Trunks?"
"Hmm?"
"You're not gay, are you?" It was more of a statement than a question.
"No."
And then I captured her lips with my own.
Then the fun that Kate spoke of in the bar began. Her hand found the door handle, and we stumbled into the room. I know I should have thought. I should have realised how far I'd be spiralling down by doing this. How much I'd have to explain. But my mind wasn't concentrating on what was going to happen later. It was concentrating on the matter at hand. Or, rather, in both hands. And as my fingers began to explore, I felt her undoing my belt, and a smirk crept onto my face.
"This is just a bit of fun, alright?" I murmured, unbuttoning her top. She opened her eyes, stared at me for a few seconds, and then nodded.
"I can handle that."
I bit my lip as her hand slipped inside my jeans.
That's not all she can handle.
~~~~
When I woke up this morning, she was gone. There was a scribbled note on the back of a cigarette packet that read:
Trunks, had a great time with you, hope I managed to cheer you up. Thought I'd leave you sleeping since you looked so peaceful. Keys for door are in the cookie jar. Post them back through the letterbox when you leave. Kate.
I rubbed my eyes, sitting up. My clothes were neatly folded up beside the bed, and I slipped them on quickly, and then left. Weird and slightly ironic thing was, I felt sort of used.
So that's how I came to be walking down the street so early in the morning. On a whim, I decided to drop in at work, just to let my mom know I wasn't dead.
I turned up to find myself face to face with my mother, whose expression had previously been furious, but when she took in my appearance, was replaced with shock. She grabbed my arm, excusing herself from some important looking guys in suits who were reading a bunch of forms, and dragged me into the secretary's office.
"What in the world have you been up to?"
I shrugged, something that I know she hates to see me doing, and her eyes narrowed.
"Trunks, I am at the end of my tether. You are the Vice President of Capsule Corporation. This job isn't some part timer at a record store! Do you know how long it took your grandfather to get this company off the ground?"
I started to mutter an apology, but she interrupted me.
"It took time and effort, something which you're obviously lacking in. What am I going to do with you?"
I looked at her, silent. Then I did something that I haven't done since I was five and I tripped and grazed my knee. Something that I'm ashamed of, and something that would make my dad sneer and turn away in contempt. I cried.
And there were so many reasons to. I was so frustrated with myself, my life, Goten, Marron, everything. I was so angry, angry at Marron for not seeing through my façade and realising how I felt, at myself for not telling her to begin with, for not setting things straight with Aya and leading her on, and for having sex with Kate just to cheer myself up. And I was hurt. I was hurt because Marron had come to the conclusion that I loved Aya, and not her. And the idea that I loved her probably hadn't even entered her head. Not even her subconscious would give me a chance.
If my mom had been in the slightest bit taken aback, she hadn't shown it. She'd just put her arms around me, enveloping me in one of those warm hugs that always seemed to take the pain away when I was younger. I could smell her perfume, the Elizabeth Arden she always wore, and as I sobbed into her shoulder, I wished I was five again, and that the source of my pain was just a graze on my knee, that I was still that little kid who had no idea what love was, or how it felt when you loved someone who didn't love you back.
~~~~
A/N: You've gotta feel sorry for the guy, haven't you? *smiles* Hope this chapter wasn't too bad, and hope the little bit of citrus didn't offend anyone. I can't write them very well, as you can see. *shrugs* Well, thanks for all the reviews and see you soon for chapter 10.
Warning: A hint of citrus, nothing too descriptive.
Chapter 9: And Deeper He Goes
September 15th (08.00)
How did I get here? Just when I thought I'd dug myself as deep as was metaphorically possible, I had to go and do something stupid and dig myself even deeper. It's at times like these, when I'm shuffling down a rainy street, head killing, a couple of billion more brain cells killed off, liver probably having to work the fastest its ever worked, that I wonder: why didn't I just stay home and watch low budget porn?
Maybe I should start explaining myself. Well, thanks to Marron's sudden case of jumping-to-ridiculous-conclusions-itis I ended up having to lie through my teeth, yet again.
Just as I'd hung up on Marron, the phone started ringing again. Hazard a guess at who it was this time. Go on.
"Hi Trunks." She sounded shy.
"Oh...uh...hey, Aya."
"I've been trying to get in touch with you for ages. It's like you disappeared of the face of the earth. Where have you been?"
"Oh, um, work, you know." Trunks, you are hereby pronounced Liar Extraordinaire.
"Right. Listen, Marron told me something, and I want to know if it's true."
"Right."
"So is it?"
"Ah...well...you see..."
"I knew it."
"Knew what?"
"I told Marron she'd got it mixed up."
Now here is where I should have set everything straight by saying something along the lines of: "Yes, Marron has a tendency to jump to conclusions. I'm not in love with you. Sorry and all that." But instead of showing that I did possess the slightest shred of intelligence and doing that, I let my guilt get in the way and said this:
"Aya, listen. I care about you a lot and..."
And I was promptly interrupted.
"Trunks, I feel the same way! I know we haven't know each other for all that long, but that night we spent together, it meant everything to me. I don't think I've ever really been in love before, I guess you're my first. It feels....lovely."
What exactly could I say to that? I couldn't bring myself to hurt her feelings by telling her she'd got it wrong. I tried to break it to her gently, but she was too excited to listen.
"No, Aya, please - "
"When can we see each other again?"
"Aya, I - "
"I'm working today, how about tomorrow, are you free?"
"Well, yeah, but - "
"Great! I'll see you around eight thirty then! Gotta go, my break's almost over!"
"Wait! Aya, listen, that's not how I - "
Click.
~~~~
After she'd hung up on me, I could see Goten out of the corner of me eye. He was smirking in that infuriating way he only uses when he finds something truly hilarious. I slammed the phone down with a growl and stomped out of the kitchen. As soon as I closed the door I heard him erupt into uncontrollable laughter. Bastard.
So I decided I'd take a walk. Bad idea. As I walked along, hands in pockets, head down, generally feeling sorry for myself, I heard a voice call my name. A woman with brown hair and green eyes ran up to me, all smiles.
"Hey! Remember me?"
I studied her face. She was familiar, but why?
"So, where's your boyfriend today?"
Oh. Now I recognised her.
"Hi, Kate."
I didn't even bother telling her that I wasn't gay. I just didn't have the energy.
"What's wrong? You don't seem very happy."
"I'm not."
"Oh, I think I get it. Did you break up with that guy?"
I looked around, disinterestedly, watching everyone as they walked past, and deciding that I hated them, because their lives weren't complicated like mine.
"Don't worry. I know something that'll cheer you up. Come with me, let's go get something to drink."
She grasped my hand and led me through the crowds of people towards what looked like a wine bar. I didn't bother arguing. After we'd found a table and Kate had ordered something, I stared out of the window impassively.
"Want some?"
I turned to Kate, who was holding her bottle out to me. Why the hell not? I nodded, and she poured some out for me.
"So, what's got you so miserable?"
"Stuff."
"Wow, I've never met anyone quite so talkative!" she teased.
"What can I say? It's a gift."
She laughed, and I felt her foot brush against my leg. Blinking, I glanced at her. She was gazing straight at me.
"You know, I think I know something more fun for us to do."
I stared at her, bewildered. I thought she thought I was gay? But whether I was or not didn't seem to matter to her as she got up, grabbing my hand.
"Where are we going?" I asked, allowing her to lead me out of the bar and onto the street again. She didn't reply until we stopped outside an apartment complex.
"You don't have to be anywhere for the next hour do you?" she asked me, and before I could reply, her lips were pressed against mine. And even though I knew that I was just making things worse for myself, I found my arms wrapped around her easily, pulling her body against me. Breaking the kiss, she looked up.
"Trunks?"
"Hmm?"
"You're not gay, are you?" It was more of a statement than a question.
"No."
And then I captured her lips with my own.
Then the fun that Kate spoke of in the bar began. Her hand found the door handle, and we stumbled into the room. I know I should have thought. I should have realised how far I'd be spiralling down by doing this. How much I'd have to explain. But my mind wasn't concentrating on what was going to happen later. It was concentrating on the matter at hand. Or, rather, in both hands. And as my fingers began to explore, I felt her undoing my belt, and a smirk crept onto my face.
"This is just a bit of fun, alright?" I murmured, unbuttoning her top. She opened her eyes, stared at me for a few seconds, and then nodded.
"I can handle that."
I bit my lip as her hand slipped inside my jeans.
That's not all she can handle.
~~~~
When I woke up this morning, she was gone. There was a scribbled note on the back of a cigarette packet that read:
Trunks, had a great time with you, hope I managed to cheer you up. Thought I'd leave you sleeping since you looked so peaceful. Keys for door are in the cookie jar. Post them back through the letterbox when you leave. Kate.
I rubbed my eyes, sitting up. My clothes were neatly folded up beside the bed, and I slipped them on quickly, and then left. Weird and slightly ironic thing was, I felt sort of used.
So that's how I came to be walking down the street so early in the morning. On a whim, I decided to drop in at work, just to let my mom know I wasn't dead.
I turned up to find myself face to face with my mother, whose expression had previously been furious, but when she took in my appearance, was replaced with shock. She grabbed my arm, excusing herself from some important looking guys in suits who were reading a bunch of forms, and dragged me into the secretary's office.
"What in the world have you been up to?"
I shrugged, something that I know she hates to see me doing, and her eyes narrowed.
"Trunks, I am at the end of my tether. You are the Vice President of Capsule Corporation. This job isn't some part timer at a record store! Do you know how long it took your grandfather to get this company off the ground?"
I started to mutter an apology, but she interrupted me.
"It took time and effort, something which you're obviously lacking in. What am I going to do with you?"
I looked at her, silent. Then I did something that I haven't done since I was five and I tripped and grazed my knee. Something that I'm ashamed of, and something that would make my dad sneer and turn away in contempt. I cried.
And there were so many reasons to. I was so frustrated with myself, my life, Goten, Marron, everything. I was so angry, angry at Marron for not seeing through my façade and realising how I felt, at myself for not telling her to begin with, for not setting things straight with Aya and leading her on, and for having sex with Kate just to cheer myself up. And I was hurt. I was hurt because Marron had come to the conclusion that I loved Aya, and not her. And the idea that I loved her probably hadn't even entered her head. Not even her subconscious would give me a chance.
If my mom had been in the slightest bit taken aback, she hadn't shown it. She'd just put her arms around me, enveloping me in one of those warm hugs that always seemed to take the pain away when I was younger. I could smell her perfume, the Elizabeth Arden she always wore, and as I sobbed into her shoulder, I wished I was five again, and that the source of my pain was just a graze on my knee, that I was still that little kid who had no idea what love was, or how it felt when you loved someone who didn't love you back.
~~~~
A/N: You've gotta feel sorry for the guy, haven't you? *smiles* Hope this chapter wasn't too bad, and hope the little bit of citrus didn't offend anyone. I can't write them very well, as you can see. *shrugs* Well, thanks for all the reviews and see you soon for chapter 10.