Pairings: G/B, U/M, eventually T/P
Rating: R
Warnings: Cursing, not much else. Perhaps later, if you want?
Disclaimer: I don't own them, you probably don't either.
Notes:Enjoy.


When You Smile

2 of ?


"So you really like him, huh?" Bra smiles knowingly as I just stare at her in shock. What the hell is she talking about? I shake my head and look down into my coffee.

From the corners of my eyes I can see Blacky rolling over on their couch, playing with a ball of yarn. It's typical, you know. He just loves that lavender ball so much, he's always playing with it. And it's not like he doesn't have enough toys to play with. Funny.

Shifting in my seat, I turn to look at my cat fully and ignore Bra's heavy stare.

My kitty just loves to come here, probably 'cause it's so huge and the couch's so soft. He yawns and stretches and I smile fondly at the little creature. Bra follows my gaze and grins. She adores him, and she loves to cuddle with him. No wonder he's so comfortable here.

Everybody loves the little guy, really. Especially Trunks. Sigh. Geez.

"You don't have to lie to me, Pan. I can see it clearly on your face and in your eyes." Bra pours some more coffee into her mug and motions at mine, but I shake my head and close my eyes tiredly.

Standing up, I walk over to one of their windows and gaze outside. It's still early, a lazy Sunday morning at Bra's and Goten's. I believe my Uncle is still sleeping upstairs in their huge bed, snoring no doubt.

Hn.

I'd have liked to still be in my bed, but Bra had to call at 8:30 to ask if I wanted to come over and 'talk'. I'd cursed her out for waking me up so early, but she'd just ignored that and asked me again.

Damn her, waking up so early after we'd been out all night.

Truthfully, I hadn't slept all night. Lying awake, 'cause sleep was just out of reach. Not that I didn't want to sleep. No, it was just that every time I closed my eyes I saw his blue eyes looking back at me, and the way we danced haunted me.

Hugging myself tightly, I continue to stare outside and watch as birds fly over, and absently note that it'll probably be even hotter today than it was yesterday.

Yesterday.

After I'd worked from 10 till midnight, and my shift was over, I'd walked onto the dancefloor and just started dancing on my own. Or as 'on my own' as you can be in a crowded club.

A couple of minutes later I'd suddenly felt someone moving behind me, in my personal space. Yeah, I know you're thinking; personal space in a club? But hey, the guy'd been dancing so close I could feel his breath on my neck.

I'd spun around, ready to brush him off, and found myself staring into two deep blue eyes, which I recognized immediately as Trunks'. There's only one person with that kind of eyes. Unconsciously I shivered.

"The rest is over there." He motioned with his head, and I glanced there before nodding numbly. Like I cared.

He was still dancing as I gave him a once over, and I licked my lips absently. The guy was looking great, and I noticed I wasn't the only one who thought that. Every girl around was practically oggling him.

Smiling crookedly, I began dancing again. And we were real close.

Well, after that we just had so much fun that I forgot all about the time. It felt so good, his body moving against mine, that I could pretend for a minute that we were together. That he loved me and wanted me. But when I open my eyes now I'm just confronted with the fact that the only thing in front of me is a beautiful garden. Not his beautiful face.

"Girl, it's not a crime you know." I glance at Bra from the corner of my eye and raise an eyebrow. Bra leans back in her chair and lifts the mug to her lips, trying to hide the smug smirk on her face behind it. Oh, she's enjoying herself immensely. Haha.

After she puts the mug down again, she gets up and walks over to me, standing behind me and wrapping her arms around my waist in a friendly gesture. Her chin rests on my left shoulder as she gazes outside too. I feel her take a deep breath and then, "Loving someone is a good thing. It's not a curse."

I snort and smile faintly, "Not for you. You're married, Bra. You've always been very close with Goten. That's a lot different than me loving Trunks and his feelings probably not going any further than friendship." Bra glances up at me with her wide blue eyes, and I feel Blacky rubbing himself against my shin as if trying to comfort me. He's such a cute cat.

"How is it different, Pan? You don't know if he loves you or not. I didn't know either with Goten. It's something you'll have to find out by asking him. You can't do anything else," she pauses and frowns, "and sadly, neither can I."

Chuckling at her disappointment at not being able to meddle in my personal life as she releases me, I squat down and pick my lazy cat up. Together we walk back to the table and take a seat.

"It's not that I don't want to ask him, I'm just….."

"Afraid?" Bra finishes for me, "Afraid that it's too soon, afraid that you'll be rejected, afraid that he won't want to be friends with you anymore if he does reject you?" I smile ruefully and nod vaguely as she manages to capture all my fears in that sentence. She smiles comfortingly, and takes my hands in hers on the table.

"Pan, that's exactly how I felt when I came to you all those times, to cry and be comforted. But you know what, they're all ridiculous fears," her eyes go distant as she recalls those days, before they refocus on me and she smiles sadly, "I know I never thanked you for that, hon, so I'll do it now."

I shake my head at her and rub the tops of her hands which are placed in mine, smiling at her. She's a good friend, and I love her. How could I not help her when she was in need of a shoulder to cry on? She's one of the sweetest people I know.

"It's not necessary, Bra," I say and she opens her mouth to answer, but I cut her off, "just don't." She closes her eyes and regains her composure. I pat her hand and get up, run into the kitchen and come back into the room with what I was looking for.

"Cookie Dough?" She just laughs and I nod as I hand her a spoon. This is exactly what we both need. A little ice cream to cheer us up. It doesn't matter that it's only 10 in the morning. Hey, what can I say, I'm an all round ice-consumer!

"We'll just see how this works out, Bra."


Life can suck sometimes, you know? But it's days like these that I actually like it. I mean, it's not that I'm depressed all the time. Just one day you're more thankful than others, eh? Right now I'm just glad that I'm with Bra.

"So what exactly made you fall in love with him, girl?" Bra winks as I cough and nearly choke on a piece of cookie dough. Then I actually think about her question as I watch my best friend stroking Blacky's furry back. It's a combination of things, I realize as I pull my knees to my chest.

We've moved to the couch, and we've just been talking about many things for nearly an hour. Like how she's enjoying that Goten is just about catering to her every need (when he's awake, of course) because of her pregnancy, and the fact that after 2 years they're still as in love as ever.

I look up from Blacky's content figure and see Bra still gazing at me questioningly.

"It's not one thing, Bra. It was his hair, and his eyes, and his……" I trail off as I see my best friend grinning at me, "Well, you know!" She shakes her head.

"No don don't. Enlighten us." Bra says as she points at my Uncle, who's suddenly sitting at the table and listening intently to me. My eyes widen, and I sputter, before Bra cuts me off, "What, you didn't notice him there?"

I glare at Goten, who just grins sheepishly, "How long have you- oh never mind." Cutting myself off, I cross my arms and try to control the urge to blush like a busted schoolgirl. Geez, he must've been sitting there for quite a while now. But, he doesn't know who I'm talking about, right?

"So, whose hair and eyes are so interesting that you were going dreamy-eyed on us?" Yes! He doesn't know. If he did, he would surely tell Trunks, and then everything would be ruined. I don't know what everything is at the moment, but that doesn't matter.

"Trunks', Go." Bra jumps the gun, and I can practically feel his eyes widen, even though I'm glaring at his wife. Why do I have to have a best friend who's my Uncle's wife, who just happens to be Trunks' best friend? And why does said best friend have to be such a blabbermouth?

"You're in love with- with Trunks?" Bra nods vigorously as she gets up and happily plops down on a still shocked-looking Goten's lap. Oh well. The cat's out of the bag, and I can't do anything about it anymore.

"Yes, Go, just breathe." Bra slaps him lightly in the face as her husband just continues to stare at me like I've grown a second head. This is exactlythe kind of reaction I expected from him, and probably every other family member andfriend I have.

When Goten doesn't listen to her, Bra smiles and raises his face to hers, placing a kiss on his lips. I frown in concentration as I decide to grasp this chance and get away. Yeah, this'll work out nicely. I'll... I'll just go home now. Uh-oh.

"I don't think so, Panny. I'd like to hear you finish your sentence." Goten grins as he appears in front of me in the doorway, blocking any escape route I might've had in mind. I scowl at him as I stomp back into their living room and sit on the same chair I sat on earlier that day.

Goten sits down in front of me with a smug grin still on his face, and I just want to wipe it off his face. This must've been Bra's doing. Ah yes, of course, I realize as she sits on the chair next to him.

"Now, Panny, tell me what is so special about Trunks that makes you love him." He leans back in the chair and stretches his arms over his head, as I dump my head on the palms of my hands.

Hn.

"Fine. I can't believe I'm telling you this," I glare at the both of them, "It's his eyes, his hair, the way he looks at the world, the way he talks to me like I'm his equal," I pause in thought, fidgeting with the end of the large t-shirt I'd hastily pulled over my head at home, "And it's in the way he walks, and of course, he dances great too." Then I scowl as I realize that I've become exactly what I didn't want; a girl pining over a guy who's never going to notice her. Ever. Ugh.

When I look up, I see Bra and Goten grinning at each other. I roll my eyes and then close them, just tired and weary of my friends, of myself, of everythinhey hey just know me too well. And I bet they're lauging inside 'cause I've always sworn I would never be that way over a guy.

"Hm. Maybe I can put in a good word for you, eh?" Goten jabs and laughs as I turn red. Oh no. He's just teasing me, right? He's not actually going to-

"Goten! Stop that! You're not going to tell anything to Trunks. This isn't that funny, you know!" She slaps him on the arm, and he shuts up immediately, though keeps grinning. I smile gratefully at my best friend and she smiles back.

"I'm sorry, Pan. It's just hard to believe you're actually in love with Trunks. I mean, he is 14 years older than you are." I frown at him as he brings that little fact up.

"Don't give me that shit, Uncle. You think I don't know that?" I ask angrily, and cross my arms. He's just pointing out facts that don't help me in the least. It certainly doesn't help me justify my feelings for his best friend.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry again," he pauses as he rubs his chin in thought, then adds, "Well, I think it's great. I mean, I don't know how he feels about you, but there's certainly only one way to find out." I'm surprised, but thankful. Standing up from my chair, I give him a hug and walk over to get my keys and the rest of my stuff.

I can understand my Uncle was trying to find out if my feelings are real and honest, and that that's the reason he wanted me to tell him all that, 'cause he's just worried about me. But I don't know if I'm doing the right thing in telling him about my feelings. What if nothing happens and everyone knows that I love Trunks?

I don't even want to think about it.


My mind wanders as I look at the television, currently not giving much thought to the movie I had been watching. Glancing at the clock, I realize it's almost noon. And I still haven't decided on my course of action.

I mean, what do I do? I don't even know if he's attracted to me. Remembering the night we went out, the way we danced together, it could be possible. And I need to take the chance, but when? And how?

Frowning, I pick up the phone that has been ringing incessantly for some moments. I don't really feel like picking it up, but I guess I need to.

"Yeah?" As I said, I'm not in the mood for chatter.

"Pan, can you come over?" Trunks?

"What is it?" I ask, a tentative smile curving my lips.

"Um, well, I've got a little problem. I just really need you right now." Yeah, that really helps me, Trunks. You could try just telling me what you need me for. Oh well. I'll be a good friend and go over.

"Fine, I'll be right there." It'll give me a nice opportunity to go jogging. Haven't done that in a while. And no, I don't use ki when I jog.


After changing into white sweatpants and a light blue tank top, I'm on my way to Trunks' place. It's quite a run so I'm just making my way down the blocks, enjoying the weather and how the wind blows across my overheated skin.

It's been a while since I've been to his house, but when it does come into sight I'm smiling. Beautiful is the only way to describe it. So what that's it has cost more than I could ever hope to afford; for him it's a walk in the park. Yeah, I guess it does have it's advantages to be the president of CC.

Running down his street, I gaze at all the other houses around. Nope, I like his the most, though that one on the corner is also very nice. Hn. Keep dreaming, dear Pan. You'll get there. Some day.

Knocking on his door, I tap my foot impatiently. I slide my headphones of my ears, just so I can still hear the music. My mom's been nagging about me turning down the volume for ages – can't tell you how glad I am that I've got my own place. I was just itching to get out of there.

Glad, not 'cause I hated it at home, but it was just so secluded there. Now, I'm not denying the fact that 'secluded' is a bad thing at all times – just that I'm known to like sleeping in and that's not such a good thing when you have to walk about 2 hours before reaching school. Flying isn't such a success, 'cause I haven't got a place to land and people aren't very used to floating girls with book bags. Or guys, for that matter.

The door finally opens and reveals Trunks, a smirk on his rosy lips. Yeah, guess it's time for some body-admiring, huh? Okay. So he's got these black jeans on, that positively cling to his body, and a white tank top. Barefoot, looking homey on his dark blue carpet. That's it. Really. You can imagine the way his muscled arms look, can't you? No? Try harder.

"Hi Panny. Come on in." I smile and step inside, closing the door behind me. He walks in front of me as we enter his kitchen and walks over to his refrigerator, pulling out a soda for him and me as I jump onto his counter.

Looking down, I realize that a good deal of the front of my tanktop is wet from sweat. And, man, do I reek! Geez. Gulping some of the fluid down my throat, I instantly feel less parched. That's better. Except that I look hideous, of course.

"So what's this all about?" I wipe the sweat off my brow with the back of my left hand while holding the can in my other hand. He leans against the counter next to me and pauses, a frown on his face.

"Hey, you know you can tell me anything, right?" He nods, and I frown too. Trunks turns to me, but still keeps silent. Sternly gazing at him the she surrenders, I manage to make him talk.

"Well, there's this Charity Ball on Tuesday evening," He's not going to ask what I suspect he's going to ask, right, "and I haven't got a date yet." He did. Now he's gazing pleadingly into my eyes, and I know I can't say no. Hell, I don't think I want to.

"And you want me to come with you to this ball. Trunks, you know I don't normally go to these things. Are you sure about asking me?" I need to ask, so that he knows who he's trying to convince. I hope he hasn't forgotten.

I'm the infamous Son Pan, tomboy and student. Which basically means 'not going to change in a million years'. Even if a beautiful man is asking me. And his blue orbs are pleading with me. I'm a sucker for those eyes. Ugh, how cliché.

Hn.

I don't even know why he's asking me. He should have no problems asking someone else. Right? Yeah. Oh, fuck, don't look at me like that, Trunks.

"Of course I'm sure." Trunks smiles confidently.

And that's that.