Love and Football
BREAKING NEWS!
The Satan City Dragons have traded QB Goten Son to the West City Rockets.
That was the headline trending all over social media. It was also how she found out. Ironic since her family owned the West City Rockets. You'd think they might have given her a heads up they were acquiring a new player who happen to be her ex fiancé.
Perhaps that was unfair. Her family may have owned the team but they were far from the day to day dealings of the current team. That was up to the head coach and general manager who they trusted to make the best moves for the team. A team that hadn't been winning the past few seasons. A team that desperately needed a franchise quarterback.
Goten might very well be what the team needed. She personally knew how good he was. Too good to be the back up to her pompous older brother. Oh yes, the ties between teams and players ran deep. It also went back a generation. Her mother Bulma Briefs is one of two daughters to the great Dr. Briefs. Creator and founder of The West City Rockets. Her father is legendary Rockets' Quarterback Vegeta Saiyan who lead the team to 3 championships during his hall of fame career.
They had two children. Her older brother Trunks and herself. Her older brother followed in their father's footsteps. From a young age it was obvious he had inherited his father's talents and was destined to play professional football. He was the star QB of his college team leading them to their own championship. Leading up to his year in the NFL Draft, it was widely speculated he would not be going to his family's team. Not because they didn't want him but because another team would draft him first. He was in fact drafted #1 overall by a fierce rival from the opposing division.
She on the other hand wasn't sporty. She cheered all through school and even in college but when it came for an actual career, she decided on a different path. One that would still benefit the family business. Medical school to study sports medicine. Upon graduation she immediately began her residency with the teams lead doctor training to take over for him. Which she did when he retired the prior year. Her name. Bra.
Now that you know a little about her, let's learn about the man that's about to turn her world upside down. Goten Son. Younger son of Goku Son, former star wide receiver to her father Vegeta. It was because their fathers were teammates that her brother Trunks and Goten were best friends since birth. Even though he was a couple years younger. The same sports analyst that predicted Trunks wouldn't be drafted to the same team as his father, predicted Goten would. Goku had mostly stayed away from football after retirement eliminating conflict of interest between coaching staff, management and players. Except head coach Krillin Chesnut who played running back alongside Vegeta and Goku. Well aware of Goten's athletic abilities he wanted him on the team to personally coach and develop his skill. His plans ruined by an underhand move by the Satan City Dragons' who made a last-minute trade up to draft him before The Rockets.
It was disappointing for the young athlete. Knowing he was a pawn in NFL politics and wouldn't be a team's starter. Always the optimist he chose to look at the bright side. He would be reunited with his best friend. Learning from an all pro who had already won a championship. His time would come. That's what he kept telling himself at least. However, as the years passed it was harder to hold on to that hope. An opportunity came when Trunks suffered an injury that sidelined him for a couple of games. Wanting to prove himself Goten went out onto the field and gave it his all. He ended up winning all the games he played in place of the injured star. Something that didn't go unnoticed by the team's owner. To protect the team's dynamics and circumvent a rift the head coach of The Dragons made a call that would change the lives of several people.
"Did you know about this?" Bra asked entering the office of the team's PR department head. No need to knock when your family owns the place and they happen to be your best friend.
"No." Marron shook her head.
"Your dad's the head coach." Bra found it a little hard to believe she was out of the loop too.
"I swear I didn't know anything. I literally just got the email about the press conference." Marron insisted.
"When's that?" Bra hoped she had plenty of time to develop a solid game plan.
"Tomorrow morning. He's flying in tonight." Marron informed.
That bought her some time, but did she really have anything to worry about? Yes, she was the team's doctor. Yes, he would be playing for said team, but he was healthy. No need for her to be the one providing medical care should he ever need it. She had a staff of perfectly capable medical professionals.
"Okay. Well I'm sure you have plenty to prepare for." Bra began making her exit determined not to dwell on the situation.
"Hey! Are you going to be okay?" Marron called out concerned.
"I have to be." Bra sighed before leaving.
She made a promise to herself she would truly be okay. It'd been a couple of years. Surely, he had moved on. Life didn't cease after a break up. Business continued as usual. Bra had gone on with her regular routine which didn't include dealing with uninjured players directly. Just to be on the safe side she spent most of her time in her office. Only meeting with players after practice, one on one, with an appointment. Her system actually worked for the first couple of weeks until one faithful day a certain player missed his appointment with her.
She checked the time. It was well past practice. The locker room should be empty excluding players working through injuries. With that false sense of security, she made her way over in search of her missing patient. Bra walked in to find the man she'd been avidly avoiding standing in front of his locker shirtless. She stopped dead in her tracks when he turned in her direction. He had heard the sound of her heels clicking on the floor.
"Hi." Goten said softly and she forgot how to breath.
"Hi." Bra finally managed to respond in the same low shy tone.
Que the awkward silence setting in. Neither of them knowing what to say next but neither making a move to end the suffering. So much history, so many unsaid words hung heavy in the air between them. She never wanted to have to face him again but she was a grown woman. It was time she put on her big girls' panties and dealt.
"Congratulations on your wins." Bra acknowledged a little more audible. Making sure she sounded sincere. Which she was. After two weeks with his new team Goten got the opportunity to play when the team was trailing in the second half. He made quick work of the field scoring a touchdown in his first drive. The Rockets went on to win that game breaking a long losing streak. The team won the next game too with him playing all four quarters. After that victory the head coach officially named him their starting quarterback.
"Thanks." Goten smiled genuinely sending her heartrate into overdrive. Maybe he didn't completely hate her.
"Well. See you around." Bra bid farewell wanting to leave things on a better note than when they last spoke. She figured it'd be less painful than a simple goodbye since their last goodbye was supposed to be the final goodbye. They were never supposed to see each other again.
"Yea. See you." Goten returned her parting words all while his smile remained on his handsome face. A face she had loved oh so very much. Refusing to let her mind and other organs travel down memory lane she swiftly departed. She should have gone straight home but she needed to talk to someone.
"Marron you won't believe what just happened!" Bra barged into her friend's office stumbling upon a heated make out session between the perky blonde and the team's kicker.
"Gah! Get a room!" Bra gagged.
"Room. Office. Close enough." Marron had no qualms about public displays of affections with her true love.
"Cabba. I see you missed our physical therapy for some with your girlfriend." Bra teased causing the already flustered young kicker to blush even redder.
"I'm sorry. Dr. Saiyan." Cabba apologized profusely.
"How many times do I have to tell you to call me Bra? You are sleeping with my best friend. We're practically family." Bra continued her ribbing.
"Bra. Stop tormenting my string bean." Marron's warned in jest.
"Fine. But he's making it up with three appointments next week." Bra switched to doctor mode.
"Deal." Marron agreed on behalf of Cabba. He should have been put off by the notion of others negotiating his life, but he trusted his girlfriend and doctor 100%. They both had his best interest in mind.
"I'll see you at home babes." Cabba knew the two women well enough to anticipate when they needed "girl talk". He sweetly kissed his love goodbye. Then left them to their gossip.
"What's this crisis's that's making you a cockblock. It better be good." Marron crossed her arms.
"I ran into Goten." Bra revealed.
"Oh. How did it go?" Marron uncrossed her arms taking a seat behind her desk. The gravity of the situation sinking in.
"Honestly. Surprisingly uneventful." Bra admitted sitting down across from her friend.
"Does that mean things are going to be alright?" Marron pried lightly.
"I have no idea. We maybe said 15 words to each other in total." Bra revealed how brief their encounter was.
"So, what are you going to do?" Marron asked.
"The same thing I've been doing. There's no reason for us to interact if we're not required to." Bra shared her strategy. Her friend nodding supportively.
"I mean unless he gets seriously injured."
Looking back, Bra always wondered if she jinxed him that day…
It happened at the end of the regular season. The Rockets had a chance at the post season. A win by them and a loss by a division rival would get them a wild card spot in the playoffs. With so much riding on this game Bra made the executive decision to be on the sideline. Something she rarely did. Usually if a player was injured enough to be brought back to her their season was most likely over. That's why she thought it was vital to be easily assessable during such a crucial game.
It also happened in a flash. One-minute Goten was scrambling for more yards battling for a first down. The next instant he was tackled, hard. Buried by several defensive lineman. It wasn't the first time but when he didn't get up right away, she knew deep down something was terribly wrong. Laying there on his side holding his leg in noticeable pain. Being a medical professional, she knew right away it wasn't a simple injury. Fearing a serious injuring is why people assumed Bra was the first one on the field.
"Don't move." Bra ordered kneeling down next to him.
"It's my ACL. I'm done doc." Goten gritted through the excruciating pain. Even through the anguish he'd recognize her voice anywhere.
"Shhhh. Don't think like that." Bra tried reassuring him even though her instincts and medical experience feared it was a high possibility.
"You don't have to sugar coat it for me doc. I heard and felt the pop in my knee." Goten continued to speak despite the deliriousness.
"Stop moving." Bra ordered more sternly reaching out and placing her hands on either side of his shoulders trying to get him to lay still. It was the first time she'd touched him in years Even covered by a jersey and pads she couldn't stop the surge of emotions coursing through her.
Help arrived speedily although for the both of them it felt like forever. Bra reluctantly stepped aside to allow the other medical personal and trainers to help the large man up then onto an awaiting cart. A bad sign to all that he wasn't walking off the field.
"Stay with me?" Goten asked as they settled him onto the cart.
There were a million reasons why she should have turned him down. However, the look of agony on his face as he tried to be brave for his teammates and the fans tugged at her heart. Without a word she climbed onto the cart and sat next to him. Without a word he reached out and placed his hand over hers. Without a word she turned her hand palm side up and laced her fingers through his. She reasoned it was purely out of sympathy and obligation. He was scared. He needed comfort. She provided it as part of her medical oath.
The action could be explained away but the feelings could not. The emotions she felt when she placed her hands on his covered shoulders were nothing compared to what she felt when their bare skin touched for the first time in years. Her heart nearly burst. There was a hurricane of emotions swirling inside her. On the outside she remained calm. She needed to be or else she'd unravel. In front of a national audience no less. Bra was only remotely aware of the sport photographers' camera flashes or the high definition cameras that were broadcasting the whole ordeal. She knew it wasn't her they cared about. They were worried about the man who's hand she was holding and his future.…..
Stay with me
Those words in his voice kept repeating in her head.
Stay with me
She did. She stayed with him the whole cart ride to the back medical facilities.
Stay with me
She did. The inevitable MRI scans ordered immediately to confirm their worst fear.
Stay with me
She rode with him to the hospital without being asked.
Stay with me
She stood by him as he underwent the MRI.
Stay with me
She sat with him when the images of his leg came back.
Stay with me
She was the one to reach for his hand first when they said the dreadful word "Surgery"
Stay with me
She would have. She would have stayed through it all but his family arrived just as he was being discharged. A family that had been like a second family to her until she broke their sons/brothers' heart. His surgery would be schedule as soon as the swelling in his knee went down. Something that would have to be monitor daily.
Bra received those daily updates in detailed written reports. What those reports couldn't convey was how he was feeling. Emotionally. She'd seen firsthand how an injury of that magnitude could deplete the strongest person. With resolved she went to visit him. To see for herself how he was coping. She knocked on the door of his house. She looked up his address from his personnel file. She instantly cursed her stupidity when his mother opened the door. Of course, she would be taking care of him.
"Oh, it's you." ChiChi said coldly.
"Hi. ChiChi." Bra politely overlooked her tone. This woman had every right to hate her.
"If you're here who's guarding hell?" ChiChi asked with so much venom in her voice Bra felt like she had actually been bit by a snake.
"I deserve that." Bra took the verbal abuse. She braced herself for an oncoming onslaught of insults when a guarding angel in the form of Goten's dad saved her.
"Now now dear. She's the team's doctor. I'm sure she's here for medical reasons." Goku tried to pacify his angry wife.
"They couldn't have sent anyone else?" ChiChi glared. If looks could kill she'd be in the afterlife.
"She's the best in the biz. Don't you want the best helping Goten?" Goku played to her weakness. Her motherly need to provide the very best for her baby boy.
"She's got 10 minutes." ChiChi gave a final warning before stomping off.
"His room is the last one down the hall on the right." Goku let her know before following after his upset wife.
Truth be told. It could have gone much worse. Bra told herself as she regained her composure before entering. She took a few deep breaths before knocking on his bedroom door.
"Come in." A solemn voice answered from the other side. She opened the door slowly peeking in to gage his reaction. They hadn't spoken since he was discharged from the hospital after the MRI.
"Hi." Bra greeted cautiously taking a moment to evaluate the condition of the patient. He was laying on his bed propped up by several pillows into a sitting position.
"Hey." Goten visibly perked up when he saw it was her instead of another random team physician.
"An adjustable bed can be provided for you." Bra offered surprised he wasn't already set up with one.
"A hospital bed? No thank you." Goten turned her down returning to his solemn tone.
"No. Like a sleep number mattress or a motion series." Bra upped the offer finally stepping inside his room and closing the door.
"Do all players get such special treatment?" Goten inquired.
"Just the good ones. Got to protect the company's assets." Bra answered half serious.
"Do all players get the pleasure of a house call from the team's lead doctor?" Goten doubled down.
"Only the ones I've slept with." Bra said with all seriousness causing him to instantly wonder who else on the team was privy to house calls. Before jealousy could creep in, she smirked reminding him just how sarcastic her sense of humor could be.
"Are you here to give me a full physical? Or a sponge bath?" Goten crossed his arms behind his head flexing his own sarcasm along with his biceps and pecs in case she had forgotten. She hadn't. His words and movement made it all more apparent he was wearing nothing but boxers.
"Get your mind out of the gutter." She advised walking over to the side of his bed examining his knee.
"I don't have a dirty mind. I have a sexy imagination." Goten defended.
"The swelling has reduced substantially. With some assistance you should be able to take a real bath." Bra answered his dirty flirting with professional answers causing the grown man to actually pout.
"Will you be the one assisting me doc?" Goten tilted his head to get a better look at her facial expression to see if her body langue betrayed her nonchalant words. She knew her time was running out.
"I'll be back tomorrow." Bra stepped away before it got dangerous.
"Is that a yes?" Goten tried his luck.
"Around five." Bra set a time before making her exit. Fortunately, he didn't press the issues nor did she run into ChiChi on her way out.
True to her word she arrived at his house the very next day at 5pm. She was hopeful since it wasn't an unannounced drop in this time, they'd take pity on her and have Goku answer the door. Even better it was his doppelganger at that age. Except it wasn't better for his recovery.
"What are you doing up?" Bra demanded instantly worried. She looked down at his injured knee which was resting on a knee scooter.
"More importantly who cleared you for that?" Bra was outraged at what she felt was gross negligence.
"I don't remember his name." Goten lied not wanting to get anyone in trouble. It didn't matter the angry head of The Rocket's medical team was already on her phone ready to rip someone a new one. Which she did as soon as someone answered. It was quick and brutal. He stood in admiration of the tough no nonsense way she handled herself. If he was being fully honest with himself, he was a bit turned on.
"Looks like I'm going to have to be more hands on." Bra abruptly ended the call bringing him out of his fantasy. Then thrusting him back into it when she kneeled before him.
"Just as I dreaded. The swelling is back up." Bra spoke examining his knee closely from all angles.
That's not the only thing that's going to be up if you stay down there. Goten secretly thought battling to keep his hormones down.
"There's only one solution." Bra declared standing up.
Sexual healing. Goten prayed she would say.
"I'm going to have to personally oversee your recovery." Bra proclaimed. At first, he was disappointed but then he realized it meant they would be spending a lot of time together. Perhaps it could lead to some special physical therapy after all.
"Let's go." Bra snapped him out of it then proceed to help him of his house to her car.
"But I'm not fully dressed." Goten protested pointing out he was only wearing athletic shorts.
"What we're going to do doesn't require any clothing." Bra was so concern with his recovery her own double entendre where flying over her own head….
"Is it going to hurt?"
"A little pain is good."
"I've never done it before."
"You're a profession athlete. Most have done it."
"But I don't want to."
"It's not as bad as you think it's going to be." Bra snapped losing her patience. Good practice for when she had kids one day. Wait. Why was she thinking about her future kids at the moment?
"That's what they all say." Goten huffed then it dawned on him she may have personal experience with it
"Wait. Have you done it?" Goten looked at her with wide eyes. She nodded. He couldn't believe it. She had never been the type to try something new. Especially something that might hurt.
"It actually starts feeling good." Bra smiled coyly trying to convince the reluctant man. He didn't budge.
"Now do it. Doctor's orders." Bra had had enough. He was doing this even if she had to physically force him.
"I don't believe you've done it." Goten stalled. He really was testing her patience.
"Seriously?" Bra couldn't believe he was one sentence away from daring her to prove it. Instead she beat him to the punch by getting undressed.
"What are you doing?" Goten could have kicked himself for slightly sounding like he wanted her to stop. If he wasn't injured, he very well might have.
"Demonstrating you're being a big baby." Bra proclaimed kicking off her shoes and taking off her pants. She stood before him in nothing but her lacey under garments. Instinctually he diverted his eyes.
"Oh, come on. I'm wearing more than some women do at the beach." Bra questioned his sudden shyness.
"Not like you haven't seen me naked in various positions before." Bra laughed in an attempt to rid the atmosphere of awkwardness.
"Plus isn't it your privilege as my ex to picture me naked any time you like?" Bra continued when he didn't respond. He was about to deny he had ever done that. Lie. But when he sneaked a peak at her she was already submerged into the tub filled with ice and water. She hadn't made a single sound of discomfort. Maybe he was being a baby. Or maybe she was just a badass.
"How are you feeling?" Goten was impressed. She seemed almost relaxed.
"Like my nipples could cut glass." Bra joked continuing her attempt to make light of the situation when in fact she was stirring all sorts of feelings in the man watching in awe. All of a sudden Goten couldn't stop picture her perfectly erect pink nipples. Ones that were harden by his touch instead of freezing cold water. His mind began remembering all the ways her body would react to his caresses. His kisses. His gentle suckling.
"That's enough."
For a split second Goten was scared she could read his perverted thoughts. He understood what she meant when she got up and reached for a towel. She had proven her point and now it was his turn to prove himself as a good patient. As she stepped out, he knew it was his turn to step up. With newfound conviction he allowed the medical professional to help him out of his shorts all while trying to keep his thoughts clean.
It was hard. In more ways than one but he managed to keep it down and himself together as she helped him into the tub. She stifled a smirk when he yelped the moment, he touched the ice-cold water. She held firmly onto his arm as she helped him into a seated position. Trying not to think of how his muscles felt in her hands. His muscles she had felt every inch of before. With her hands, her lips, her tongue.
"I'll set a timer for 6 minutes." Bra shook those impure thoughts out of her head willing herself to stop the arousal bubbling in the pit of her core. He didn't argue. Probably too busy trying not to shiver or cry out in pain. In reality he was thinking about how he was suffering from a condition worse than blue balls. Frozen balls. Also, shrinkage.
She stepped back then proceeded to text Marron asking her for a huge favor. To bring by the extra change of clothes she always kept in her office in case she had a late night and fell sleep on her office couch. She was surprised she agreed without question. Probably because she was saving the third degree for in person. She was right.
"You're playing with fire." Marron whispered when Bra meet her at the door. The blonde could clearly see who was with her and what they were doing.
"No. I'm playing with ice." Bra got technical.
"Don't be a smartass." Marron scolded.
"It's strictly for medical reasons." Bra used the excuse she would find herself using to lie to herself and others for the foreseeable future.
"Uh huh. Sure." Marron saw right through her. She would lecture her about being in denial later. In private. Right now, she had her own hottie to get back too.
"They like each other." Cabba voiced his observation when she rejoined him in the hall.
"Can you put that in a companywide memo and title it Duh?" Marron requested sarcastically. Both aware the whole organization saw what was happening. A national audience saw when it all began happening.
"If the whole world can see they care for each other why did they break up?" Cabba asked what he had never dared to ask before.
"You're going to have to buy me a really expensive dinner with copious amounts of wine for me to spill those details." Marron half joked.
"Well then let's go home and change." Cabba took her hand as they walked together. They never made it to the restaurant though. Opting for a night in enjoying wine and other activities in bed….
Bra continued torturing Goten with ice baths and after a couple of days the swelling had gone down enough for them to do surgery. An operation he wasn't looking forward to. Was he scared? Of course. Not just of the surgery itself but the results. Which depending on the degree of the tear and physical rehab his leg may never by the same again.
"Stay with me?" There were those 3 little words again as he was being wheeled into the operating room. Again, she could have said no. She wasn't on the surgery team. She was a doctor with high level authority.
"Okay." Bra answered before she could consider the implications. She wouldn't be able to stand right by him or hold his hand. She was close enough that when the anesthesia kicked in, she was the last thing he saw. As a doctor she tried to stay as close as possible. Only to lose her nerve when the surgeon made the first incision cut. She looked away unable to stomach seeing him cut open. There was a reason she hadn't pursued surgery…
"I've died and gone to heaven." Goten smiled groggy to a sight he had the pleasure of waking up to every morning for some years.
"You've woken up from surgery to repair your torn ACL." The blue haired beauty began checking his vitals.
"You're a gorgeous goddess in white." Goten complimented her looks and doctors coat.
"Nice try. I know that you know memory loss is not a side effect of anesthesia. I'm also the one that showed you that viral video of the husband pretending he forgot his wife after surgery to hit on her." Bra reproached as she finished up.
"How did it go?" Goten knew when to back off.
"Good. Dr. Shepard said it was one of the cleanest tares he's operated on. He's extremely optimistic about your recovery." Bra gave him the first bit of good news he'd received since the injury.
"So how long before I can start my rehabilitation?" Goten was hopeful it wouldn't be long.
"If you follow my strict recovery schedule to the letter, I'd say two weeks." Bra gave her unbiased professional opinion.
"Two weeks?!" Goten exclaimed. Obviously not the answer he was hoping for.
"Quit whining. You can catch up on your favorite shows or binge some new ones." Bra suggested as she wrote down some notes in his medical file.
"Will you come over and spend time with me?" Goten sincerely requested. She had already planned to stop by daily to check on him. Not just on his physical recovery but his mental state. Bed ridded, homebound patients tended to get a little stir crazy after a week. Worst case some began developing depression which hindered the rest of their recovery.
"I'll stop by every day." Bra promised without specifying for how long or for what purpose. Before he could press her for more details his parents and older brother arrived which was her que to leave.
"My baby!" Chichi sniffled rushing over to hug her youngest. Bra could still hear the woman fussing over her adult child when she ran into his niece in the hallway.
"Hi." Bra greeted. They hadn't really talked since Goten was traded. There wasn't a need to. She was the offensive assistant coach for the Rockets. The first female NFL coach.
"I'm going to need a daily full physical update." Pan informed not looking up from her Surface Pro 7.
That cold encounter still fresh in her memory the next day. Making her question if she should really be there. She was about to turn tail and run when the door opened without her knocking. There stood possibly the only member of the Son family that didn't loath her.
"Hi. Goten's expecting you." Goku smiled almost an identical smile to that of his son's. When she stepped in he surprisingly stepped out.
"I'll be back tomorrow." Goku waved goodbye. She watched him leave before closing the door and walking to Goten's room. She found him in a nearly identical position as the first time she visited.
"You took my advice." Bra commented on the fact that he was watching TV.
"Well there's nothing else to do when you're hold up in bed." Goten turned off the TV to give her his full undivided attention.
"Alone anyways." Goten grinned cheekily.
"You won't be cleared for that sort of activity for a while so you can stop fantasizing." Bra reprimanded checking his knee. "The incision is healing nicely." She admired Dr. Shepard's work.
"Does that mean I'll be able to start physical therapy before 2 weeks?" Goten asked optimistic.
"Maybe." Bra couldn't say for sure. It'd only been a day since the surgery. Nevertheless, it was healing better than other similar injuries she had cared for.
"Then let's celebrate doc." Goten patted his bed with a huge smile. She was going to remind him he wasn't clear for that sort of activity he clarified, "I ordered pizza and just started the new season of Doctor Who."
"I haven't seen any of the new doctor's episode." Bra confessed she was still on the 12th doctors' season.
"You're going to love the 13th Doctor. She's great. I'll even start from her beginning with you." Goten sounded so happy she was finding impossible to reject his offer.
"Fine. But only the first episode." Bra sat down next to him. Lie. One does not simply watch only one episode of Doctor Who.
"Shit. It's almost midnight." Bra cursed looking at her smartwatch. She couldn't believe she had lost track of time so badly.
"What's the rush? Do you turn back into a commoner at the stroke of 12?" Goten teased.
"This is serious." Bra hissed gathering her things.
"Wait. You don't still live with your parents, do you?" Goten came to the only explanation to why she freaking out about staying out late.
"Of course not. What kind of loser still lives with their parents at almost 30?" Bra scoffed at the accusation.
"Then what? Worried about rumors?" Goten asked a loaded question. They both were aware the media had discovered their past. All thanks to them holding hands in front of a live national audience.
"It's probably a good idea if someone else checks on you from now on." Bra spoke softly leaving before he could argue otherwise….
Bra kept herself busy and away for almost a week. She declined answering any questions that were not medically related. That was until her best friend and her boyfriend who had grown close to the injured quarterback pushed into her office one morning.
"You need to see him." Marron wasn't asking.
"He's in good hands." Bra didn't bother to look up from her paperwork.
"Yea but he needs your hands." Cabba boldly implied.
"If this was an alternate universe where I had superpowers, I'd blast you into another dimension." Bra threatened.
"He's right." Marron agreed walking over and grabbing her friend by one arm while Cabba held her by the other. Together they lifted her out of her comfy office chair and dragged her to the health facility. The in-sync couple worked in unison. Cabba opened the door to a private recovery room allowing Marron to shove the stubborn doctor in. They loudly locked the door behind her.
Those two are going to pay for this. Bra vowed vengeance as she looked over and saw her ex fiancé lying face down on a massage table completely naked expect for a small white towel draped over his muscle defined derriere. He had a pair of BEATS headphones over his ears listening to music, she didn't have to be quiet when she walked over. Just by looking at the muscles of his back she could tell they were super tense. Riddled with knots. The dynamic duo most likely had canceled his real therapist leaving her trapped with medical obligation.
Bra's sports medical training had included basic message therapy. Enough education to work the major muscles and pressure points to provide pain relief. Goten's body was in desperate need of tension release. His muscles spasmed in respond to her first light touch.
Here goes nothing Bra took a deep breath as she began applying pressure on his right shoulder blade. Goten instantly reacted with what she could only describe as a primal groan. Or maybe it was more of a moan. It'd been a while since she heard those kinds of noises. From him or anyone else. They only got louder and more intense as she continued to work his muscles.
Feeling daring she worked out of order running her hands down towards the small of his back dangerously close to the towel covering his backside. She leaned over as her hands kneaded that sensitive area and whispered loud enough to be heard over his music.
"Hmmm you never made those type of noises for me." Bra purred against the back of his earlobe teasingly. His jerk reaction was almost costly. Instantly recognizing her voice, he yanked the Beats off his head and turned sharply onto his side almost losing the one article of cloth that was keeping his family jewels out of view.
"I'm sorry." Bra covered her mouth trying to stop laughing. She would have felt awful and guilty if he had hurt himself falling off the table. Since he hadn't it was hard not to find the scene of him sprawled out nearly in the buff looking like a deer caught in the headlights humorous.
"Naughty doctor. This isn't your area of expertise." Goten chastised with a Cheshire grin.
"You're more than welcomed to report me to HR." Bra grinned back knowing perfectly well he wouldn't. Yet he still wasn't laying back on his stomach.
"Or I can call back Bruno and have him finish you." She added. Goten's flirtatious smile faltered. Without further banter he flopped back over causing the young doctor to smirk in victory of that verbal spar. With the sly smirk still on her face she began working her way down to his glutes.
"You're so knotty." Bra commented digging her fingertips into his bare skin.
"So are you. Ordinarily, a lady would buy me dinner before grabbing my ass." Goten misunderstood earning himself a particularly hard-pressed pressure point.
"Knot-ty not naught-y" Bra annunciated the difference. He behaved for the remainder of the session after that. Both in a better mood afterwards all thanks to their playful interactions. …
"Back for more?" Goten received her with a knowing look.
"Keep your pants on." Bra rolled her eyes at his conceited assumption.
"No. Seriously. Keep your pants on." Bra said more sternly as he began taking them off.
"I'm only here for a range of movement evaluation." Bra explained making him more confused.
"What's that?" Goten asked.
"Lay on your back and I'll show you." Bra kept her tone neutral. His antics didn't need encouraging. It would be hard considering what position she was going to put his body in. She lifted his uninjured leg up in the air. One hand on his knee and one behind his middle calf.
"I want you to push against me with ten percent of your strength." Bra braced herself to keep his leg up in the air. She silently counted to thirty once he began. After thirty seconds she pushed his leg towards his shoulder and up stretching his groin muscle. The pained look on his facial features was hard to ignore.
"You okay big guy?" Bra looked down at him.
"Mmm hmm." Goten grimaced while in his head he was screaming Sweet baby Dende!
"Well this is quite the role reversal." Bra giggled when he squeezed his eyes closed.
"Huh?" Goten said through labored breaths.
"It was always my leg over your shoulder." Bra winked when he opened his eyes shocked at her explicitness. Wanting to get the leg up on her. Pun intended, he joined her game.
"Speaking of roles. In all our role playing you never dressed up in your coat to play doctor." Goten looked up at her with bedroom eyes.
"It's not sexy if it's your actual profession. I never expected you to wear your uniform and helmet to bed." Bra candidly confessed a detail from their sex life she hadn't when they were together.
"I would have done it. As long as you wore your cheerleading uniform." Goten's pain in his lower region morphine arousal.
"So, cliché." Bra rolled her eyes again causing them both to laugh. It was surprisingly easy to talk about their past as long as they didn't talk about the emotional part nor the break up. Something they wouldn't be able to avoid for much longer. A chain of events was about to make them face their feelings head on….
The chain of events started when he suffered his injury and made that faithful request for her to stay with him. The entire nation watched them hold hands sending the internet into a frenzy. Fans on social media were fast to ask about the blue haired beauty who seemed to be close with their quarterback. It didn't take long for internet detectives to make the connection and dig up details of their past. Most of the reports were unkind to the woman in the story. Painting her as the villain. Something she never deny. She knew perfectly well she had been in the wrong. Breaking the heart of one of the sweetest, kindest, best guys around.
Both of them were mildly aware of what was being said and written about them in the media. They were just too preoccupied with more important things to fret about it. They foolishly believed the paparazzi had no idea where either of them lived. Information that was leaked half way into Goten's recovery. A truth they were smacked in the face with one evening when she was leaving his house.
"Goten! Bra! Is it true you guys are back together?!"
"Is it true you were engaged?"
"Bra were you the one who ended it?"
"Goten did you really considering quitting football after the break up?"
The reporter's questions came in rapid succession one right after the other. Each one getting more personal and more farfetched then the last. The blinding lights of countless camera flashes were blinding even from the sidewalk. They couldn't step on private property. The two young semi-celebrities clueless they had been camping out across the street. Waiting for this exact moment to pounce.
Caught completely off guard and rendered flabbergasted their only answer was retreating back into his home. Closing the door then checking to confirm all curtains and blinds were closed. Still able to hear the commotion outside they moved further back returning to his bedroom.
"How?" Was all Bra could get out in her panic. This was bad. Very bad.
"I don't know." Goten sighed less visibly upset.
"What are we going to do?" Bra paced back and forth.
"I don't know." Goten repeated sounding like a broken record breaking the little bit of self-control she had been holding on to.
"Of course not." Bra spat.
"What is that supposed to mean." Goten glared starting to lose his own cool.
"Forget it." Bra stopped pacing and turned away. She wanted nothing more than to go home at that very moment. Impossible. She'd never make it to her car without confronting the paparazzi.
"No. If you have something to say, say it." Goten came up behind her wanting to embrace her but knowing she wouldn't allow it. Not yet anyways.
"This is going to be all on me. They're going to blame me if anything goes wrong with your recovery." Bra revealed her fear since the beginning.
"You're over thinking it. You always were such a thinker." Goten disagreed.
"What's wrong with being a thinker?" Bra got defensive.
"Nothing. Unless it gets in the way of your heart." Goten went there. It had been hanging over them since the moment they reunited.
"Goten. Don't." Bra could tell where this was going. They didn't need to say it out loud.
"Why not?" Goten wasn't backing down. Not this time. Never again.
"Because of our past." Bra listed the number one reason.
"Forgotten." Goten shook his head.
"Because it's complicated." Bra continued.
"It doesn't have to be." Goten answered in earnest. She could tell he was going to shoot down every one of her reasons so she skipped the list to say the most important one.
"Because I hurt you." Bra choked back tears everything finally catching up to her. All the denial and lying to herself. The walls she had put up around her heart crumbling.
"And you've healed me." Goten didn't miss a beat. His words causing her to finally turn around and face him.
"And we both know I'm not talking about my knee." Goten looked at her with so much love. Yes love. Love that she could see clearly now had never left. Had never died between them. Love that she had buried deep inside her to keep from falling apart. Love that moved her to move over to him. Without a word she placed a hand gently on his handsome face and kissed him. For the first time in years their lips connected. In some ways it felt like the first time. The difference being they weren't inexperienced teenagers. The nervous butterflies in their stomachs replaced by a deep burning sexual desire in the depts of their souls.
They were adults. Two attractive adults that could no longer fight their undeniable chemistry. Two adults with healthy libidos that hadn't gotten any in a while. As their mouths and tongues reacquainted themselves, they slowly moved towards the bed. Instinctually Goten went to position themselves with the back of Bra's knees on the edge of the bed to lay her down but before he could she flipped the script and him. He now found himself in the very position he wanted her in.
"Not this time." Bra shook her head regretting how her words could be perceived by the devastated look on his face. She smiled and pulled him in for a long slow kiss exploring his mouth with her hungry tongue before explaining herself.
"What I mean is lay down so I can take care of you." Bra seductively propositioned earning herself an excited smile. When it appeared, he may change his mind she placed a finger over his lips then traced them with her fingertip enjoying the feel of them.
"Doctors orders." She instructed firmly causing other parts of him to firm. He obediently followed orders laying down in the middle of his bed. He watched mesmerized as she crawled onto his bed sexier than a vixen in a music video. With the grace and flexibility of a dancer she slid a leg over his waist straddling him. She was extremely careful not to bump his injured leg or put too much of her weight on him.
Bra stared deeply into his onyx eyes before crashing her lips to his. He reached out gripping her waist tightly before sliding his hands to the small off her back then up and under her shirt desperately seeking out bare skin to caress. Taking the hint, she pulled back in order to take off her shirt and toss it on the floor. He smiled taking in her figure up close. So much the same but different. She had been working out and it showed. Her abs, a six pack. Her arms, toned. Not wanting to be outdone he sat up and with her help pulled off his own shirt exposing his own ripped arms and abs.
Goten stayed sitting up taking a moment to admire her beauty up close. He lovingly brushing a strand of long blue hair out of her face before pulling her tightly against his bare torso. He could not express with words how good it felt to have her in his arms again. To hold her and to love on her. He dipped his head down and began kissing the side of her neck nipping sensually down and around her collar bone before claiming her mouth again in a searing kiss. Their hearts pounding against their bare chest so hard the other could feel it.
"Stay with me." Goten said against her lips. She smiled already surrendering herself for the night. But then he added four little words that changed everything.
"Tonight. And every night." Goten nuzzled against her ample cleavage too afraid to see the answer in her eyes. Terrified it would not be what he wanted. That this was only a one-time reunion. But then he felt her small hand on his chin lifting his head to look at her. Her blue eyes shined with love. He knew right then that she would stay. And she did. That night. The next morning. Every night after that. All through his recovery and return to football. Through the winning seasons and the less than stellar ones. Through the heartache of losing a championship to finally winning one. Through retirement and forever.
THE END
Or is it?
Authors Note - I lost a bet with Esso1979 and it turned out to be a good thing. Challenged me to write this AU inspired by my favorite team and some of their players. Thank you to Mother of Carron for introducing me to that pair. Thank you to Ambroicl for being my first Beta ever for this fic.