Told You So
By: Mhealeayah
Disclaimer: Same as the other seven chapters
Author's Notes: Here's the next chapter. Two chapters in one day. Good progress. I'm lucky today is a half-day.
"You want to go out for ice cream, Imotochan?" Trunks asked as he saw his sister watching TV.
"Of course!" She jumped up and ran to his car.
"So, I'm just curious, what kind of man do you want to marry?" He asked.
Bra eyes' widened, "Um…I think more than anything, someone who treats me like a Princess and sincere about the whole thing. Most of the time, I like that attention with us being famous and everything, but the fact that every guy wants me, I hate it," Bra sighed.
"Do you think you'll marry someone you already know… like Goten?" Trunks kicked himself, why was he asking all of this, he didn't approve of it back then, so what made it ok now?
"Are you kidding? Goten…well, I mean…he's just way too old for me! Besides, he's like an older brother to me. I'm thankful for him, because I'm free to be his friend, with no pressure or expectation that anything more would ever happen. " She replied, but her mind wandered.
'I'm not going to marry Goten, but he's the kind of man I would someday marry when the time is right.'
"Hey!" Someone stood right in front of car, and Trunks slammed on the brakes.
"Oww! Darn it Trunks!" Bra shouted as she rubbed the back of her head.
"Sorry, some stupid guy stood right there not caring that we were going to hit him," Trunks was doing the same.
Bra laughed.
"What's so funny?"
"That some stupid guy turned out to be your best friend," Bra smiled.
Goten continued to stand there, with his hand behind his head and that carefree grin on his face.
"You idiot! We almost had an accident!" Trunks yelled through his window.
"Sorry," He climbed in, "where you guys going?"
"For some ice cream," Trunks replied.
Bra's heart beat excitedly at the sight of him. She enjoyed being around him. He was always full of energy and enthusiasm. 'I'm so lucky to have this kind of older brother friendship like this one!' She thought.
Goten continued chatting with them, until a thought passed through Bra's head, 'The girl who marries Son Goten will be in for the adventure of her life!'
"So…what are you thinking about?" Goten looked at her curiously.
A soft smile and unexpectedly crept over her face as she thought about their friendship.
Bra shook her head, embarrassed, "I'm just daydreaming, I guess."
Goten didn't press her any further. Goten was always careful not make sure that Bra never got the "wrong idea" about his feelings for her.
Ring. Ring.
"Hello?" Bra picked up her cell phone, "Oh hi Mom…oh really? That's great! Ok, sure!"
"What's up?" Trunks asked.
"Uncle Yamcha's getting married. He asked Mom to get wedding music songs so he could pick a song to sing to his bride to be," Bra laughed.
"Yamcha? Singing? Oh wow, I feel sorry for the bride," Goten joined in laughing.
"She asked us to pick up some music for him, since she's busy right now," Bra finished.
"Ok, there's a wedding store by the Ice Cream shop, I'll go order the ice cream while you two try to find what we're looking for," Trunks suggested.
"Ok," Bra agreed.
"Can I help you?" A young man in uniform walked up to them.
"Yeah, I think you can. We're looking for wedding songs to choose from," Bra replied.
"The music section is upstairs," so as he led them up the winding staircase, he decided to make small talk, "so I take it you two are getting married? Congratulations!"
"Uh, no, actually…" Goten stammered awkwardly as Bra's face began to flush, "It's, uh, it's not for our wedding."
"Oh really? So when are you two getting married?" He furrowed his eyes in confusion.
Goten cleared his throat nervously and was careful to not look at Bra, who stared at her feet the whole way up.
"Um…no, I mean…we're not…" Goten tried to explain as the worker jogged up the stairs.
"Oh I see! You're not engaged yet!"
'Oh Dende!' Bra felt like she needed to help, "No, we're just…"
He interrupted before she could say friends, "Well, here's the wedding section. We've got all the traditional wedding songs here, along on this wall. And over there you'll find a lot of other wedding material. We have invitations, guest books, unity candles, and all the good stuff! So whenever you two set the date, make sure to check our great selection!"
"Sure…uh…thanks," Goten responded weakly as the young man sent a teasing wink their way and hurried away.
"Um…let's just get these and go," Bra grabbed a bunch of cds and ran downstairs.
An hour later after Goten had left; Bra's face was still burning.
A few days later…
"What are you possibly doing that will not let you come with us?" Chi Chi questioned as she gestured for Goten to grab the first bag of mulch.
Chi Chi loved flowers, so she loved to garden. Occasionally, she would have one of her sons help her just for the opportunity to have mother-son talks.
"Goten, I think it would be really good for you to get away."
"Mom, I don't want to be the only guy going there just to meet Yamcha's fiancé," He muttered.
"Son Goten, since when did you start feeling uncomfortable around women?" She stated.
"I just think, that if you get three women together, adding a guy into the mix spoils the girl talk," He replied tossing brown chunks into the flowerbed.
"Goten, I don't think any of us are too worried about missing out on 'girl talk!'" She smirked, "unless this has anything to do with Bra being one of the three women?"
"Well, I think it complicates it," He retorted reaching for the second bag of mulch.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I don't think it looks too good for me to be going with you if that means I'm going to be spending all of my time there with a sixteen year old. When we're here at least, it's not all the time," He opened the bag.
"Are you concerned about what others think?" probed Dr. Mom.
"Not really, I just don't think it's appropriate," He answered.
"Appropriate for whom?" She pursued.
"For me," He confessed.
Doctor Mom moved in closer to diagnose her child's problem, "Do you like her?"
"No way!" He exclaimed. "She's just a little girl!
"You and Bra have been spending a lot of time together." Her eyes danced with intrigue. "Are you telling me that your relationship is purely platonic?"
"Purely what?" Goten made a face.
"Platonic. Are you only friends?"
"We are as plutorific as you can get!" He bellowed, "I don't know why everyone thinks there should be something between us!"
"Goten, as your mother, I think I know you quite well. I don't want you to get defensive, but I believe that you and Bra have a special relationship."
"What are you talking about?"
"I can tell you really care about her," She offered.
"I do, just not like everything thinks I do," Goten clarified.
"Well, I'm proud of how you handled your relationship with her so far since you came back. I just wouldn't be surprised if you changed your mind about liking Bra in a way that goes beyond, as you would say, plutorific."
"I can't believe her Gohan! Mom was always right, about everything," Goten complained into the phone.
"I know. She was right about Paris, she knew it wouldn't last, and she didn't even want you going out with her in the first place," Gohan added.
"But this is way too far!" Goten shouted. Even if he pretended to be confused about the whole thing, he knew what she saying, but he wasn't ready to hear it.
She was right. He cared about the young girl with sapphire eyes. In fact, over the past months, he caught himself thinking about her more than what he felt was right and honorable. And here was his very own mom encouraging him to look at her more than just a friend. He was battling everyday with this, and here was his mom offering her advice and wisdom.
"I'm just stunned that Mom could actually be cable of being….wrong." Goten admitted.
Gohan just laughed, "I have to go Goten. Don't worry about it. She's only looking out for your best interests. I'll talk to you later."
"I'm so glad you could make it!" Hitomi smiled, "I decided to take you out since Yamcha couldn't be with us tonight."
An hour later, you could hear Bra complaining, "I am sooo full!"
"I think I ate ten pounds of chicken," Hitomi groaned.
"I ate more," Chi Chi rubbed her tummy.
"That's why they call it an all-you-can-eat buffet!" Goten exclaimed enthusiastically.
"It's a good thing, he's the only one we brought with us, I don't think that place could handle any more Saiyans," Bulma laughed.
"I just wish I could meet everyone, it's a shame everyone else was busy that they couldn't make it," Hitomi sighed.
"Me too," Bulma agreed.
"So…any lucky lady in your life Goten?" She asked as they were seated in the car.
"No, I don't seem to have any friends in that category," He admitted.
'No friends? What does he consider me? Just an acquaintance? After all the time we've spent together?' Bra's mind reeled.
Bra had to fight back the tears back to the hotel. She felt sick that she realized that she had been wrong about her friendship with Goten. While she considered him a close friend, he only looked at her as little girl, someone he could never really relate to on a deep level.
Bra sighed in misery. She had let this friendship mean so much to her. Her heart ached of losing him, but the pain few even stronger when she realized that he wouldn't feel the same about losing her.
'I can't believe how stupid I've been!'
Suddenly she felt Goten's eyes on her. She tried to look back as if nothing was wrong. He was silent, watching her. She couldn't meet his gaze.
"Give me a chance to explain B-chan," He whispered. "Before you go to your room, can we talk?"
Her heart pounded as his voice was tender, so caring. He was genuinely affected by her pain. He was devastated that he had hurt her.
Bra nodded without looking at him.
Both mothers shared a room, and walked in not noticing both kids staying outside.
Goten sat down against the wall and Bra did the same.
"B-chan, I think I said something that hurt you tonight. I'm sorry. I don't know if I ever told you how much our friendship means to me," He started.
"What does it mean to you?" She asked.
"B-chan, you're one of the few people who really know me. I don't think you know how encouraging you have been to me since I came back home."
Bra turned to face him with tears streaming down her cheeks, "Why did you say what you said to Hitomi then?"
Goten knew at the moment what hurt her.
"B-chan, please believe me that what I said to her in no way reflected our friendship, any more than it would upon the friendships I have with my family," He replied in full honesty.
Her eyes that she understood and smiled.
They sat in silence for a while.
Goten peeked sideways to see her in the corner of his eyes. A soft ache stirred in his heart. Suddenly, he longed to reach out to her, to pull her close, to softly whisper to her just how much she meant to him. He closed his eyes against the temptation.
He would not let this friendship become more than it was meant to be. She was just a little girl.
]
By: Mhealeayah
Disclaimer: Same as the other seven chapters
Author's Notes: Here's the next chapter. Two chapters in one day. Good progress. I'm lucky today is a half-day.
"You want to go out for ice cream, Imotochan?" Trunks asked as he saw his sister watching TV.
"Of course!" She jumped up and ran to his car.
"So, I'm just curious, what kind of man do you want to marry?" He asked.
Bra eyes' widened, "Um…I think more than anything, someone who treats me like a Princess and sincere about the whole thing. Most of the time, I like that attention with us being famous and everything, but the fact that every guy wants me, I hate it," Bra sighed.
"Do you think you'll marry someone you already know… like Goten?" Trunks kicked himself, why was he asking all of this, he didn't approve of it back then, so what made it ok now?
"Are you kidding? Goten…well, I mean…he's just way too old for me! Besides, he's like an older brother to me. I'm thankful for him, because I'm free to be his friend, with no pressure or expectation that anything more would ever happen. " She replied, but her mind wandered.
'I'm not going to marry Goten, but he's the kind of man I would someday marry when the time is right.'
"Hey!" Someone stood right in front of car, and Trunks slammed on the brakes.
"Oww! Darn it Trunks!" Bra shouted as she rubbed the back of her head.
"Sorry, some stupid guy stood right there not caring that we were going to hit him," Trunks was doing the same.
Bra laughed.
"What's so funny?"
"That some stupid guy turned out to be your best friend," Bra smiled.
Goten continued to stand there, with his hand behind his head and that carefree grin on his face.
"You idiot! We almost had an accident!" Trunks yelled through his window.
"Sorry," He climbed in, "where you guys going?"
"For some ice cream," Trunks replied.
Bra's heart beat excitedly at the sight of him. She enjoyed being around him. He was always full of energy and enthusiasm. 'I'm so lucky to have this kind of older brother friendship like this one!' She thought.
Goten continued chatting with them, until a thought passed through Bra's head, 'The girl who marries Son Goten will be in for the adventure of her life!'
"So…what are you thinking about?" Goten looked at her curiously.
A soft smile and unexpectedly crept over her face as she thought about their friendship.
Bra shook her head, embarrassed, "I'm just daydreaming, I guess."
Goten didn't press her any further. Goten was always careful not make sure that Bra never got the "wrong idea" about his feelings for her.
Ring. Ring.
"Hello?" Bra picked up her cell phone, "Oh hi Mom…oh really? That's great! Ok, sure!"
"What's up?" Trunks asked.
"Uncle Yamcha's getting married. He asked Mom to get wedding music songs so he could pick a song to sing to his bride to be," Bra laughed.
"Yamcha? Singing? Oh wow, I feel sorry for the bride," Goten joined in laughing.
"She asked us to pick up some music for him, since she's busy right now," Bra finished.
"Ok, there's a wedding store by the Ice Cream shop, I'll go order the ice cream while you two try to find what we're looking for," Trunks suggested.
"Ok," Bra agreed.
"Can I help you?" A young man in uniform walked up to them.
"Yeah, I think you can. We're looking for wedding songs to choose from," Bra replied.
"The music section is upstairs," so as he led them up the winding staircase, he decided to make small talk, "so I take it you two are getting married? Congratulations!"
"Uh, no, actually…" Goten stammered awkwardly as Bra's face began to flush, "It's, uh, it's not for our wedding."
"Oh really? So when are you two getting married?" He furrowed his eyes in confusion.
Goten cleared his throat nervously and was careful to not look at Bra, who stared at her feet the whole way up.
"Um…no, I mean…we're not…" Goten tried to explain as the worker jogged up the stairs.
"Oh I see! You're not engaged yet!"
'Oh Dende!' Bra felt like she needed to help, "No, we're just…"
He interrupted before she could say friends, "Well, here's the wedding section. We've got all the traditional wedding songs here, along on this wall. And over there you'll find a lot of other wedding material. We have invitations, guest books, unity candles, and all the good stuff! So whenever you two set the date, make sure to check our great selection!"
"Sure…uh…thanks," Goten responded weakly as the young man sent a teasing wink their way and hurried away.
"Um…let's just get these and go," Bra grabbed a bunch of cds and ran downstairs.
An hour later after Goten had left; Bra's face was still burning.
A few days later…
"What are you possibly doing that will not let you come with us?" Chi Chi questioned as she gestured for Goten to grab the first bag of mulch.
Chi Chi loved flowers, so she loved to garden. Occasionally, she would have one of her sons help her just for the opportunity to have mother-son talks.
"Goten, I think it would be really good for you to get away."
"Mom, I don't want to be the only guy going there just to meet Yamcha's fiancé," He muttered.
"Son Goten, since when did you start feeling uncomfortable around women?" She stated.
"I just think, that if you get three women together, adding a guy into the mix spoils the girl talk," He replied tossing brown chunks into the flowerbed.
"Goten, I don't think any of us are too worried about missing out on 'girl talk!'" She smirked, "unless this has anything to do with Bra being one of the three women?"
"Well, I think it complicates it," He retorted reaching for the second bag of mulch.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I don't think it looks too good for me to be going with you if that means I'm going to be spending all of my time there with a sixteen year old. When we're here at least, it's not all the time," He opened the bag.
"Are you concerned about what others think?" probed Dr. Mom.
"Not really, I just don't think it's appropriate," He answered.
"Appropriate for whom?" She pursued.
"For me," He confessed.
Doctor Mom moved in closer to diagnose her child's problem, "Do you like her?"
"No way!" He exclaimed. "She's just a little girl!
"You and Bra have been spending a lot of time together." Her eyes danced with intrigue. "Are you telling me that your relationship is purely platonic?"
"Purely what?" Goten made a face.
"Platonic. Are you only friends?"
"We are as plutorific as you can get!" He bellowed, "I don't know why everyone thinks there should be something between us!"
"Goten, as your mother, I think I know you quite well. I don't want you to get defensive, but I believe that you and Bra have a special relationship."
"What are you talking about?"
"I can tell you really care about her," She offered.
"I do, just not like everything thinks I do," Goten clarified.
"Well, I'm proud of how you handled your relationship with her so far since you came back. I just wouldn't be surprised if you changed your mind about liking Bra in a way that goes beyond, as you would say, plutorific."
"I can't believe her Gohan! Mom was always right, about everything," Goten complained into the phone.
"I know. She was right about Paris, she knew it wouldn't last, and she didn't even want you going out with her in the first place," Gohan added.
"But this is way too far!" Goten shouted. Even if he pretended to be confused about the whole thing, he knew what she saying, but he wasn't ready to hear it.
She was right. He cared about the young girl with sapphire eyes. In fact, over the past months, he caught himself thinking about her more than what he felt was right and honorable. And here was his very own mom encouraging him to look at her more than just a friend. He was battling everyday with this, and here was his mom offering her advice and wisdom.
"I'm just stunned that Mom could actually be cable of being….wrong." Goten admitted.
Gohan just laughed, "I have to go Goten. Don't worry about it. She's only looking out for your best interests. I'll talk to you later."
"I'm so glad you could make it!" Hitomi smiled, "I decided to take you out since Yamcha couldn't be with us tonight."
An hour later, you could hear Bra complaining, "I am sooo full!"
"I think I ate ten pounds of chicken," Hitomi groaned.
"I ate more," Chi Chi rubbed her tummy.
"That's why they call it an all-you-can-eat buffet!" Goten exclaimed enthusiastically.
"It's a good thing, he's the only one we brought with us, I don't think that place could handle any more Saiyans," Bulma laughed.
"I just wish I could meet everyone, it's a shame everyone else was busy that they couldn't make it," Hitomi sighed.
"Me too," Bulma agreed.
"So…any lucky lady in your life Goten?" She asked as they were seated in the car.
"No, I don't seem to have any friends in that category," He admitted.
'No friends? What does he consider me? Just an acquaintance? After all the time we've spent together?' Bra's mind reeled.
Bra had to fight back the tears back to the hotel. She felt sick that she realized that she had been wrong about her friendship with Goten. While she considered him a close friend, he only looked at her as little girl, someone he could never really relate to on a deep level.
Bra sighed in misery. She had let this friendship mean so much to her. Her heart ached of losing him, but the pain few even stronger when she realized that he wouldn't feel the same about losing her.
'I can't believe how stupid I've been!'
Suddenly she felt Goten's eyes on her. She tried to look back as if nothing was wrong. He was silent, watching her. She couldn't meet his gaze.
"Give me a chance to explain B-chan," He whispered. "Before you go to your room, can we talk?"
Her heart pounded as his voice was tender, so caring. He was genuinely affected by her pain. He was devastated that he had hurt her.
Bra nodded without looking at him.
Both mothers shared a room, and walked in not noticing both kids staying outside.
Goten sat down against the wall and Bra did the same.
"B-chan, I think I said something that hurt you tonight. I'm sorry. I don't know if I ever told you how much our friendship means to me," He started.
"What does it mean to you?" She asked.
"B-chan, you're one of the few people who really know me. I don't think you know how encouraging you have been to me since I came back home."
Bra turned to face him with tears streaming down her cheeks, "Why did you say what you said to Hitomi then?"
Goten knew at the moment what hurt her.
"B-chan, please believe me that what I said to her in no way reflected our friendship, any more than it would upon the friendships I have with my family," He replied in full honesty.
Her eyes that she understood and smiled.
They sat in silence for a while.
Goten peeked sideways to see her in the corner of his eyes. A soft ache stirred in his heart. Suddenly, he longed to reach out to her, to pull her close, to softly whisper to her just how much she meant to him. He closed his eyes against the temptation.
He would not let this friendship become more than it was meant to be. She was just a little girl.
]