Told You So By: Mhealeayah Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball GT
Author's Note: Hitomi is an OC that my friend helped me come with by the way.
"So this is what you used to do when I was little right Niichan Goten?" Bra asked as she was filling up red Dixie cups full of Kool-aid.
"Yeah, unlike you, these kids are orphans. Great isn't it?" He grinned and ran back out to the group of kids waiting for him.
Bra's heart began to stir with a confusing little ache. This was the kind of man she wanted to spend her life with. He was talented in so many ways, yet he was still humble to show love to others who could never repay him. She began to gaze at him fully, 'If only...'
An icy-cold splash of Kool-Aid spilled onto her hand and she snapped out of her daydream, determined to push out all thoughts of a future with Goten far, far away. Goten is a wonderful friend and brother, that's good enough.
"I don't know how to say this...but I'm...I'm concerned about our friendship," Goten inwardly groaned. He felt a strange sensation. He could feel Bra put up a protective wall around herself, and he already knew he had hurt her.
"I care about you deeply, and this is why I am concerned," He nervously thumped his thumb against the steering wheel.
Bra turned her body to face the window as she stared into the darkness.
"Let me explain what I mean," Goten softly pleaded.
"I tried to treat and honor you like a sister. I want you to discover the best for your life. I also feel as an older brother in that which I need to protect you. And with us spending so much time together, it wouldn't be so great for you, because of your reputation. I just want to take a step back from our friendship and see what it really means to us and what we should do about it. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I care about you too much to not bring this up," He finished.
Silence.
Bra finally turned around and smiled, "Thank you."
All of a sudden, a change occurred and Goten felt a penetrating sensation he had never felt before. It weakened him. "I really do care about you." And with that a dam broke within his heart and he cried.
Bra was so unsure of what to do; she just sat there and watched him.
After that moment was over however, Bra acted as if nothing had ever happened, and Goten appreciated it. She was a young girl, but this young girl knew him like precious few did.
"I think I need to talk to your dad," Goten heralded. His heart skipped a beat after he had heard himself say that. Usually, if a guy would say something like that, he would be asking for the girl's hand in marriage. And that was not the intention of his words.
The weird thing was Bra's reply, "I think you should, too."
Both of them turned bright shades of red, and were silent the rest of the way home.
She jerked open the front door and found herself staring into the black eyes and irresistible smile she had come to know so well. After a few days of not seeing each other, she had missed him.
"Hey!" He greeted in his typical enthusiastic way.
They walked to the gravity room in an uncomfortable silence. The strange thing was their friendship was never strained of awkward, but after the talk in the van a week ago, things were going to change.
Nothing was said about their friendship. But Bra knew something was definitely on his mind, and she knew it involved her.
'Maybe he decided that our friendship was wrong and that we shouldn't spend any more time together," She thought as she tried to hide her inner turmoil.
Training together progressed as usual. He became his usual self again, everything seemed back to normal, until an hour later, they found themselves sitting side by side in the wedding chapel as the bride and groom rehearsed their vows for the ceremony. (AN: Yamcha and Hitomi)
Goten was called away to run a quick errand for his mom, so he left Bra with her thoughts. She was busy worrying about what Goten's decision was about their friendship.
Suddenly, she felt his presence and looked up and was standing waiting for her to notice him, "hi," She smiled nervously.
"Listen, B-chan, you want to get some take-out before I take you home?" He asked offering his hand to help her up.
"Sure," She replied.
Twenty minutes later, both of them were sitting on boulders overlooking the view below.
"So...B-chan, what do think happened in your life because of our friendship over the past few months since I came back?" Goten asked.
Bra's heart began to flutter. This was the first time anything about their friendship had been mentioned since the car ride a few weeks ago. She wasn't sure of what to say. Her eyes wandered to the valley below to try to think of the right words to say. "This friendship has meant so much to me. You've really helped me so much. You've been a wonderful older brother in my life, and I consider you one of my closest friends."
Bra felt her face flush, but Goten didn't seem to notice, he just nodded.
"I know what you mean," He agreed. "It sometimes amazes me that one of my best friends could be a sixteen year old girl. But B-chan, you know me in a way that very few people do. And you understand me in the same way.
Bra looked at him silently, her heart a little lighter after hearing that their friendship was valuable to him as well.
"I'm still not sure on what to do yet, but no matter what happens, I just want you to know..." Goten hesitated, "I just want you to know that you are very special to me, you have always been, and...nothing is ever going to change that."
The 'goodbye' speech she had been waiting for never came. A weight was lifted of her chest, and her heart felt free. No questions were answered, no problems were solved, and no conclusion was reached. But she was special to Goten, and nothing was going to change that. For now, that was all she needed to know."Vegeta, the real reason why I asked you to come here because I wanted to talk to you about my friendship with Bra," Goten started.
"Boy, Saiyans don't talk, they fight. I'm not here to listen to you, I'm here for a spar like you said," Vegeta growled.
"Ok fine," Goten sighed and positioned himself.
"I'm just concerned that my relationship with Bra isn't good for her reputation," Goten stated as the assault of punches and kicks came in his way.
"What is good and what is not good for her reputation does not concern me. Why should it concern you? If you are worried about those 'tabloids' that the humans make such a big deal about, you are a fool. She is a big girl, and she can stand on her two feet, just like any Saiyan can," Vegeta declared.
"Then I am a fool," Goten added as he realized it.
"I agree," Vegeta smirked, "besides I know that you have good intentions with this friendship."
Goten gulped, "Umm...how?"
"Because you are like your father, and you are not capable of acting that way," He replied.
Goten was stunned. Vegeta never talked this way, much less to someone like him, 'the spawn of Kakkarot.'
A couple of hours later, as they were cleaned up, Goten thought Vegeta couldn't shock him any more. "Boy, come here!"
"Yes Vegeta?"
"You are quite better than what Trunks and Bra had told me about their first spar with you," He commented.
Goten's eyes bulged out. Did Vegeta just give him a complement?
"I give you my blessing to pursue a relationship with my daughter. I know you are capable of taking care of her in my place, you are better than all the others here on earth. After all, you are a Saiyan. And about what these earthling think about age difference, we're Saiyans. We do not age as fast as humans do, to us, age doesn't and shouldn't matter." Vegeta smirked again.
Goten's jaw dropped, "Vegeta, I thought you knew that I'm not interested in Bra in that way."
"I know," He answered, "I just felt like you needed to know that."
'This is crazy!' Goten thought as he flew off."What in the world is taking him so long? What are they doing?" Bra paced the kitchen floor.
"Bra, honey, calm down. Your father said that Goten just asked him to come over to spar, why are you worrying?" Bulma shook her head as she prepared lunch.
"I just can't stand not knowing what they are talking about! Goten decided to back off a little, and we haven't talked for two days, and now he's been with dad for a whole four hours!" Bra sat down and slumped in her seat.
"Well...what do you think they are talking about?" She asked curiously.
"I have no idea!"
"So Goten's getting together with your dad is not because he wants to move beyond friendship with you?" Bulma teased.
"That's not possible!" Bra shouted.
"And why is that?" She stopped what she was doing and stared at her daughter with interest.
"Because he's seven years older than me, he probably wants someone older, someone closer to his age, that he can actually relate with," Bra sighed.
"Bra, listen, for as far I know, you two know each other very well, and I believe that he can relate with you too, better than he could with anyone else," Bulma stated.
"You really think so Mom?" Bra looked at her mother with eyes full of hope.
"I know so, Sweetheart," She gave her daughter an assuring smile.
"So...what happened at the Sons' house?" Bra asked a bit too eagerly.
"You should talk to the boy about that," He replied gruffly, "Woman, where is my food?"
"Don't worry, Goten won't leave you hanging much longer. He's one of your closest friends. He won't just disappear out of your life," Bulma comforted.
"Don't encourage the girl, Woman!" Vegeta grunted.
Bulma made a face and stuck in tongue out at him.
He just pretended he didn't notice, and Bra left the room, her heart full of anticipation.Things were starting look good for the both of them. They went back to their old ways, and spent time together as they did before.
Goten had yet to mention his decision on what to do with their friendship. Even though Bra had no idea on how he felt about it, her feelings of attraction and affection towards him was growing at an alarming rate. Other than her conversation with her mom a week few earlier, she had told no one of her feelings or even written about it in her journal because she was sure he did not feel the same way.
At night, sometimes she'd drift off to sleep imagining what it would be like spending the rest of her life with a man named Son Goten with a contented smile on her face.
"What's on your mind?" Goten asked breaking her train of thought.
"Oh nothing much," She smiled.
"B-chan," He started softly with a bit of hesitation, "there's so much I want to say...but I, I can't," his torment written all over his face.
"I understand," She told him, but inside wondering if she actually did.
She glanced up and caught his gaze. Their eyes meeting for one moment of silent understanding. Things were changing, that was certain. They just didn't know how dramatic it would get.