Chapter Three
Goten blushed and ducked his head, immediately uncomfortable while Bra just stood there in shock. This couldn't be happening, things like this didn't happen in real life but here they were face to face after a week of total avoidance.
Maron watched them confused. She knew this wasn't normal for them having watched Bra give Goten the cold shoulder for years while he just smiled and moved on. Bra never looked at Goten like a deer caught in the headlights and Goten, too her knowledge never blushed without a good reason.
"Here to visit Trunks?" Maron broke the silence with a pleasant smile.
Goten jerked his attention to her, "Yes. Visiting . . . Bra?"
"Maybe we should go," Bra pulled on Maron's arm.
"In a minute," Maron watched her friend closely, "I haven't seen Goten in a long time."
"I'll wait for you outside," Bra released her and barely nodded at Goten on her way out.
"Bye Bra," Goten whispered so softly Maron almost didn't catch it.
"No, I am not visiting," Maron pretended to not hear, "I work here now."
The familiar smile was back on his face.
"Really? That's great! What do you do?"
"I'm Zarah's secretary," Maron frowned when he started to laugh.
"That's a good one," Goten wiped the tears from his eyes, "So what do you really do?"
Maron just stared at him.
The smile faded from Goten's face as realization settled.
"You were serious?"
"Completely."
"Oh wow," Goten ran a hand through his hair, "Did Trunks give you his numbers?"
"Yes," Maron rolled her eyes.
"Ok, here let me give you mine-"
"No," Maron stopped him from scribbling on a piece of a paper he had pulled from his pocket.
"But Maron," Goten protested and placed the numbers in her hand anyway, "It's just in case."
"Just in case what? He decides to hack me to death?" Maron was annoyed.
Goten grinned, "No, it's for when he decides he's curious to see what would happen if he put an explosive in your chair."
Maron paled, "You aren't serious."
"I am but that was years ago when Trunks had a bad habit of sitting in Zarah's chair to wait for him," Goten lost his smile, "Don't worry though, Zarah can be cool if you don't bother him."
Goten patted her back and whisted as he started to walk away.
"See ya Maron."
"Bye," Maron swallowed, she was not going to be afraid of her flesh and blood cousin.
Even if he did like to play with explosives.
**
Bra leaned against the wall of the building, her hands fidgeting nervously. She hadn't expected to react the way she did with Goten, though how she had expected to act was beyond her. Why did she have to notice how cute he was now?Before he was just that stupid guy who hung out with her brother who was not worth the time of day.
He had forced her to notice him the day he wouldn't just step aside and let her pass. . . The day when Pan lost the lunafair to Zarah and everything changed. He didn't just back down anymore and smile like the fool she had thought he was, instead, he was nose to nose with her and then lip to lip in one of the hottest kisses she had ever had in her life. Like it or not she was attracted to Son Goten and judging from the blush, he was not immune from her charms. The bottem line was, was she going to pursue it or not?
An image of Goten sparring with Trunks came to mind. It was a common enough scene, both males sweating and moving gracefully, both trying to outdue the other. Trunks would always manage to win over Goten but there was some times when he almost bit the dust. She shouldn't have been surprised that day when she could feel his muscles moving smoothly under his shirt, they all wore fitted clothes that hid their physical prowess from the unobservant eye.
Bra shook her head, she couldn't picture Goten without her brother and she would be damned before she would allow herself to interfere in her brother's life. If she became involved with Goten then Trunks would become friendless. Besides, she doubted her father would approve of her associating with Kakarot's clone.
Besides, she had her pride and Son Goten had not insulted her only once but several times.
"Bra?" Maron smiled at her uncertaintly, "Shouldn't we get going? I want to be back before Zarah."
"No problem," she smiled easily, "If he gets here then I'll explain."
Maron's light blue eyes studied her with a directness that nearly made Bra uncomfortable. It would have but then having not only the Saiyan Prince as a father but also the Capsule Heiress as a mother made her immune to such looks.
She returned the stare evenly and didn't allow any thoughts to leak into her eyes.
"Ok," Maron hooked arms with her, "Now tell me about the explosive chair."
The tension dissapated immediately and Bra's giggling filled the air.
"Maron, what you have to understand about that is . . . Trunks . . ." Bra couldn't contain her laughter, "Ah hell, I'll explain later."
"Of course you will."
**
"Did I come at a bad time?"
Trunks paused in the middle of a curse to see his best friend standing nervously in the doorway.
"Goten!" He dropped his pen, "Long time no see! What have you been up to?"
"Nothing much," Goten grinned and stuck his hands in his pockets as Trunks came around the desk, "You?"
"Oh, just going stir crazy," Trunks leaned against his desk and eyed his friend knowingly, "So who is she?"
Goten paled, "Who?"
"Come on Goten, I haven't seen you in a week and when you don't visit me then there usually is a girl involved," Trunks crossed his arms, "Who is she?"
"No one," Goten glanced to the side.
"That bad, huh?" Trunks chuckled.
"There isn't a girl," Goten frowned, there was no way he was going to tell Trunks about his sister.
"Oh Goten," Trunks shook his with pity, "It's Paris isn't it? Man, she's nothing but bad news."
"She's a perfectly nice girl," Goten defended his ex-girlfriend and taking the out Trunks had unknowingly offered.
"Goten, she dumped you when you introduced her to me, so she could go out with me," Trunks sighed, "You have to get over her. She's not worthy of you."
"I don't want to talk about it," Goten grumbled, that at least was true.
He didn't want to talk about Paris and how he thought that she was the one. It was bad enough to be dumped but to be dumped over his best friend, he was still very raw about the whole thing. The worst thing was he had become jealous of Trunks' unique ability of attracting anything female. Sure, he went out a lot but with girls who saw him as a means to an end, as a way to meet thee Trunks Briefs.
"Goten," Trunks was sad for a moment before he brightened, "Hey, let's go out for lunch and hang out like we used too."
Goten could help the smile that crossed his face, Trunks always knew how to cheer him up.
"Ok sure."
The two guys made their way to the door.
"Oh, have you seen Pan lately?" Goten glanced at Trunks, "Gohan's been kind a worried about her transition into married life."
Trunks rolled his baby blues, "I'm sorry Goten but your brother is too overprotective of Pan."
"Well, she is his only daughter. Besides, I would hate to see how your dad would react to Bra getting married," Goten nearly slapped a hand over his mouth.
Did he just say that out loud?
"True," Trunks smiled ruefully, "About Pan, I see her far too much and much more of her then I want."
"What do you mean?" Goten frowned.
"Let's just say she likes to visit Zarah in his office and . . . distract him from his work."
"Trunks!" Goten covered his ears, "That is too much information!"
Trunks laughed and slung an arm around his friends shoulders.
"At least you didn't have to see them-"
"Trunks!"
**
"So Bra," Maron watched her carefully over her soda, "What happened between you and Goten?"
Bra choked on her drink.
"What?"
"You know what I'm talking about Bra," Maron said coolly, "I saw how you guys reacted to each other earlier."
Bra's face became closed and stubborn, "I run into Goten all the time."
Maron nodded, "Yes and you usually give him a shoulder so cold I'm surprised he hasn't developed frost bite by now. I have never seen you panic before and I know Goten well enough to know he doesn't blush unless it's blushworthy."
Bra set her mouth into a mutiness straight line.
"Bra," Maron pleaded softly, "I thought we were friends."
Bra softened and a longing filled her to just spill everything that had been happening to her. She hadn't talked to anybody for a while an she was lonely. She couldn't talk to Pan because she would tell Zarah and the other girls in the office were too busy drooling over her brother to care. Plus, there was the fact that she didn't know what to do about the entire mess.
"Bra, I can't help if you won't let me," Maron's eyes were earnest and sincere.
Bra sighed and fiddled with a fry on her plate.
"I kissed Goten."
"What?!" Maron was completely shocked.
Bra flinched and shrugged her shoulder, "We were arguing and for once he finally yelled back at me, I kissed him. I don't know what came over me."
Maron slouched back into her chair with a million questions zipping through her mind.
"Did he kiss you back?"
"Yes," Bra popped the french fry into her mouth.
"Then what happened?"
"Then Trunks walked in."
"Did he-"
"No, we had separated by then," Bra took a sip of soda.
Maron straightened, "What are you going to do?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"I have disliked Goten for most of my life, what do you expect me to do?" Bra narrowed her eyes, "I don't have time for a relationship much less one with by brother's best friend."
Maron nodded sympathetically, even if Bra wanted to date Goten she would change her brother's friendship irrevokably.
"What about you?" Bra was determined to change the subject.
"Well, I think your brother's cute," Maron grinned as her friend choked again, "Don't worry I don't have any designs on him."
"That's good at least," Bra shook her head, "He has enough women chasing after him."
"I'm not surprised, he could date anyone he wanted," Maron carefully wrapped her leftovers in the wrapper.
"From actresses to heiresses," Bra agreed and picked up her empty tray.
"I am not the type to just fall in love with a handsome face," Maron smiled dreamily, "He'll have to be thoughtful and funny too."
Bra arched a blue brow, "Maron, I can tell we are going to have an interesting friendship."
"Yes, I agree."
"Now it's time to go back to work."
**
Zarah pouted as Pan left the car.
"You know I have to go back to class," Pan picked up her books.
"I don't see why I can't come with you," Zarah narrowed his eyes, "Especially since there is this Ryan I have to set straight."
"I'll deal with Ryan," Pan frowned, "Besides, what did we agree to? I would go to school and -"
"I would leave you alone," Zarah finished dutifully, "I'll pick you up from school after work."
"Good," Pan smiled, "Now be a good boy and play nice with Trunks."
"Now you'll have to walk home," Zarah turned his nose up at her.
"Fine, then I want have to deal with you later," Pan turned and walked away.
"Pan," Zarah called, "I was just kidding! Pan!"
Zarah glared at her retreating figure and started his car.
"Damn."
End of Chapter Three