Disclaimers: Same as they ever was. I don't own Dragonball Z or any of its characters.
And a bonus disclaimer, just for you! Keep in mind this whole story's in Goten's point of view, and also that he's telling it in the present tense although it kind of already happened. That is, although he is telling it as though it is happening now, he can still "forget" what's "happening." That's also why he can edit out the boring parts where he's eating breakfast, or going to class, or surfin' the web.
How about another? I don't own the rights to any songs in this fic, and I totally made up that band's name, and I don't usually care for songfics, but it just feels appropriate here.
That being said, enjoy!
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"Happy Birthday, Goten!" Trunks shouts as I walk into Capsule Corp.
"Wow! I didn't think anyone had remembered."
"'Course, like I'm going to forget my best friend's birthday. Here, I got you somethin'," he says, handing me an envelope, and looking excited as I open it.
I rip it open and find staring back at me two powder blue slips of paper. My eyes bulge from my head when I see the text printed on them -- they're tickets to Eloquis Gathryn, a rock band I mentioned liking, but...
"...But these have been sold out for months!"
"Uh, hello? Future president of CC here, 'Ten," he replies, followed by a playful wink.
I smile widely and look back down at the tickets, searching for the time. It's in 40 minutes.
"Wow, we should get going, then," I point out.
"All right, but first can we talk about something?"
"It's in forty --wait, thirty-eight-- minutes, Trunks. Can't we talk about it in the car?"
Trunks looks to his side, at nothing in particular, just to break eye contact, and responds, "Yeah, okay."
We get into the car and drive there (It's a five minute drive but I want to get there early).
Trunks is completely silent during the ride. I hope I didn't piss him off, but I'm so excited about this. Eloquis Gathryn. I've wanted to see them in concert for years.
When we arrive and park, he looks over and says, "Goten...," but I cut him off and say, "Let's go!"
Trunks takes the key out of the ignition and sighs, resting his head on the steering wheel. I only catch a glimpse of this, though, when looking back and seeing him finally getting out of the car. "Trunks, you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"I'm sorry, what did you want to talk about?"
"It's nothing, forget it."
"It's not nothing, Trunks. But if you don't want to talk about it now, then we don't have to."
"Well, it's just... Goten.. I--" Trunks is interrupted by a loudspeaker.
"Now performing, Eloquis Gathryn!"
"Trunks! It's starting! Let's go!"
Trunks sighs, puts his hands in his pockets and slowly follows Goten's excited lead.
I have a wonderful time during the concert, but every time I look over at Trunks he has this melancholy look on his face, that robs some of the excitement from the moment.
After the concert, Trunks, with the same look on his face, gets into the car, as I do.
"Trunks? Are you okay?"
Trunks nods, forcing a tiny and unconvincing smile.
"Trunks," I say forcefully, taking the keys out of the ignition, "tell me what's wrong. I'm your friend and it's my birthday and I want to know."
"Please, Goten, just drop it. It's fine."
"No, tell me."
"It's just,..." he looks down to his shoes and then up at me. "I'm really sorry for bringing you down during the concert."
"It's okay, but tell me what's wrong? I can't help you if you don't tell me."
"Well, it's mostly about... Pan."
I shoot him a puzzled look. "Pan? What about her?"
"I just wanted to ask you how she was because I was thinking about her today. It was a bad breakup. And thinking about it made me a little distant I think. But I'm better now," he says, finishing with a more genuine smile.
"Oh, okay. Well, that's over, and not something you really need to be thinking too much about. The past is the past."
"You're right. Hey, you know what would cheer me up and be a part-two to your birthday present?"
"What?"
"Karaoke! Do you like karaoke?"
"I like it all right."
"Wanna go?"
"Sure, let's go."
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We return to Capsule Corp. and enter what is called the "TV Room." It's big enough to fit about six people and is fully equipped with a couch, a chair, a microphone, a television, a karaoke machine, and ... a bottle of vodka.
"Vodka?" I ask.
"Yeah, for this drinking game me and my high school friends used to play. How it works is if you get less than an 85 on a song you have to take a drink, but if you get more, than everyone else does. You're up for it, right? It'll be fun."
"... Sure, why not." I'm a terrible singer, but whatever. "But you have to go first!"
"Deal."
"Select your song," requests the karaoke machine. Trunks presses one-seven-one-one-three, and the screen shows "Life Less Ordinary / Carbon Leaf. Is this OK? Yes/No." I miss Trunks's hand but it apparently pressed "Yes," because the song begins...
Live a life less ordinary
Live a life extraordinary with me
Live a life less sedentary
Live a life evolutionary with me
Well I hate to be a bother,
But it's you and there's no other, I do believe
You can call me naive, but...
I know me very well,
at least as far as I can tell, and I know what I need
The night you came into my life
Well it took the bones of me, took the bones of me
You blew away my storm and strife
And shook the bones of me, shook the bones of me
By the way, I do know why you stayed away.
I will keep tongue-tied next time.
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I will keep tongue-tied next time...
Tears have welled up in my eyes by this point, and there is a small lump in my throat.
"Complete!" responds the computer. Score: 89.
"Ha, you drink, Goten!"
I clear my throat. "All right, all right," I say as I pour a shot glass full of the thin, clear liquid and down it in one gulp, the quickness not adequately removing the burning sensation. I cough violently twice and say in a mangled voice, "My turn."
I look through the list of songs for something as good. I find three Eloquis Gathryn songs but avoid choosing them to avoid repetitiveness. Another time. I choose a Beatles song and get a 72 on it.
"You drink again, Goten!" And I do.
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The game continues on into the night, and after establishing a new handicap in which I must get at least 75 points and he must get at least 90, the game runs more smoothly and ends with both of us more than a little toasted.
Shortly after it gets to the point where we can't even read the screen well, and when we do our voices are awful, Trunks sits back on the couch, and I join him.
"This was a good night, huh, Goten?"
"Yep," I respond, nodding exaggeratedly.
"You wanna put in a movie?"
"Yeah," I say, stumbling over to the DVD player and putting in ... something. Not even sure what. I then slowly make my way back to the couch and turning off the light.
A few minutes into the movie (I think it's a few minutes), Trunks's eyelids appear heavy and a few minutes later, he's fast asleep. I smile at the sight of his innocent face, lit only by the flickering screen, and only exaggerated by my intoxication.
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I wake up some time later, covered in sweat and surrounded by a soft, pleasant warmth. I open my eyes to see the familiar gray shirt Trunks had worn all day, half an inch from my face. I immediately pull back, to see that Trunks is still asleep. I had fallen asleep on him. It was so comfortable, too. I wish I could just continue sleeping.
I sigh wistfully, interrupted by the door to my right closing. I look over quickly but do not see anyone. I shrug it off and decide to go downstairs to look for something to eat. My head is killing me.
When I get to the kitchen, Bra is sitting at the table with a mug of black coffee in front of her, looking down.
"Hey, Bra," I say in a friendly tone.
"Hey, Goten," she responds flatly.
I pour myself some coffee from the pot in use and sit across from Bra.
"What's up?" I begin.
"I saw you."
I tense up. "Saw me?"
"With Trunks. I saw you sleeping on Trunks."
"Whoa, listen -- I had had a lot to drink; that wasn't intentional."
"I saw you before, too. The way you act around him. You may be fooling him, but I see it. You're attracted to him,... aren't you?"
"That's a ridiculous conclusion to jump to, Bra."
"But am I right?"
I take a deep breath, look down to the table, and nod.
"Thought so," she responds.
"You can't tell him, though, okay?"
"Of course. But you know, Goten, he's straight."
"I know," I say disappointedly.
"It sucks, I know, to love someone and for them not to love you back. But it happens."
I nod silently.
"Listen, you'll get over it," Bra continues. "It will be okay. But if you want to keep Trunks as a friend, you're just going to have to get over it."
"Yeah, you're right."
"I know I'm right," she says, staring at a wine stain on the blue-and-white checkered tablecloth and taking a sip of her coffee, which reminds me to do so as well. "Just, be careful. I promise not to tell."
"Thank you."
Footsteps are heard in the distance. A sleepy-looking Trunks, with eyes still adjusting to the light, and hair messy for the first time since I've met him, enters the kitchen. "What are you guys talking about?" he says in a whiny, still-sleepy, hungover voice.
"Nothing," we quickly reply in unison.
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Swim meet tonight. We're still practicing for the competition that will happen next semester, and Trunks says that I'm the most likely to win. I'm very excited about this.
I arrive at the pool to see the lights off and the door locked, and two people hanging out outside. "What's up?"
"Trunks canceled the meeting tonight."
"He did? Why?"
"Well, he sent Haku to tell us, and all Haku said was that he 'wasn't feeling well.'"
"Hmm. All right, thanks."
I walk off, but before even leaving the building, I call Trunks.
Three rings. Four rings. "'Sup. This's Trunks, and I think you know what to do. beep" I hang up. His answering machine?
I call back. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. "'Sup. This's..." I hang up. I call back.
Ring. Ring. Ring. Rin-- I hang up.
Why the fuck won't he answer?
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I hope you liked it! Please leave a review! If you don't, I might forget about the story and then you'll never see what happens! Hahaha!
P.S. "Eloquis Gathryn" is pronounced similar to "A low-key gathering."