"I'm not telling you!"
"I'm going to find out, Bulla!"
"Not from me you won't!"
"I am your father!"
"This is exactly why I'm not telling you!"
They heard the screaming match between Bulla and her father before Bulma even opened the door. When the door finally swung open, and Bulma came into view, Goten's stomach dropped. Her eyes were red and swollen, dark makeup running down her face, taking residence in the lines caused by her age. Clutching a tissue to her chest, she dissolved into a new fit of tears when she saw ChiChi. Goten stood to the side, trying his best to hide the overwhelming guilt he felt. A crash sounded behind Bulma. Vegeta stomped past her, his face beet red, fists clenched. Seeing the saiyan prince caused a pain in his gut that Goten could only describe as fear. Muttering under his breath, Vegeta disappeared into the inner reaches of the house. After a moment, the sharp sound of a slamming door reached them. Bulma winced at the sound, bursting into another fit of tears over the chaos rampaging through her home.
"Oh Bulma, have they been like this all day?" ChiChi asked as she approached her distraught friend.
The blue haired matriarch nodded, barely able to contain a sob. ChiChi pushed forward, embracing her old friend in a comforting hug. After a moment they parted, and Bulma stepped aside, motioning for them to come in. Goten stepped over the threshold, his hands stuffed deep into the pockets of his jeans. The moment the air inside the house hit his face, Goten could smell her scent. Different from the way she smelled during her heat phase, but regardless he felt himself craving to be near her.
ChiChi Sat beside Bulma on the couch, and Goku stood nervously beside his son. Goten sighed, Gohan had managed to get out of coming...
'Why couldn't I have come up with an acceptable excuse like Gohan…" Goten thought to himself, looking around the house. His eyes were drawn to the kitchen table where, amongst a jumble of papers, there sat several thin white sticks.
"Hey," a sudden thought hit him, "is Trunks here? Can I go see him?"
Bulma nodded, though tears still leaked from her eyes "Of course dear, he's in his room."
Goten nodded, and with a wave, strode past his mother and Bulma.
As he made his way past the table, his eyes were fixed upon what lay there.
Tests.
Five of them, all marked with little pink plus signs that hit Goten like a dagger to the heart.
With a battered breath he turned into the hallway, his ears trained to the slightest sound. Fearful that Vegeta would come up behind him at any second, he moved without a sound. He heard a weeping cry as he passed the door he recognized as Bulla's bedroom. Simply standing in this spot took his mind back to that day that now seemed like decades ago. Her scent was strong here, smashing into Goten's mind like a sledgehammer, overwhelming him in a second. He forced himself to move away, past her room and towards the back of the hall where Trunks' room was located.
With a quick knock on the door, Goten twisted the knob and pushed the door open. Trunks lay back on his bed, his arms folded behind his head, looking towards the door. Upon seeing Goten, he gave a nod and turned his eyes back to the ceiling. Goten quietly pressed the door closed behind him as he moved into the room.
"Hey Trunks."
"Hey Goten." His friend replied in a blue voice, obviously feeling the stress of his family.
Goten could still hear the distaste in Trunks voice as well, and he sighed. Everything was a mess, even his best friend hated him, and Goten didn't blame him.
"I'm sorry, Trunks."
Trunks turned to face him, his eyes unreadable. The purple haired saiyan gave a sad smile.
"It's not me you should be apologizing to, Goten."
"I know…" Goten sighed, looking down at his feet, ashamed of himself. "I'm afraid to go near her. What if your dad catches me?" Goten said, sounding genuinely concerned for his life.
Trunks' sad smile turned into a grin and he chuckled.
"He is so pissed, Goten." Trunks felt the need to reiterate that with his friend, as if Goten was not already aware.
Goten stayed quiet, unsure of how to react. Slowly, he stepped towards Trunks' bed, sitting down carefully on the edge. Somehow seeing the evidence of their deed, the tests on the table, had cemented his fate that much farther. He ran his hands through his hair, sighing. He didn't turn when he heard Trunks sit up beside him. He was grateful for Trunks' understanding, but still felt guilt holding him down like a twenty ton boulder. Trunks clapped him on the back, and Goten turned to face him.
Goten turned to look at Trunks. The hand on his shoulder was swollen, sporting a blood soaked bandage. As Goten opened his mouth to speak, he heard the door creak open behind him. The voice that rang throughout the room caused the hair on the back of his neck to stand on end.
"How coincidental that Trunks and Goten have an accident on the same day Bulla turns up pregnant."
Vegeta.
Goten could feel the blood drain from his face, and Trunks' face fell in a look of surprise that described exactly what Goten felt.
Goten turned slowly, trying with all of his will to keep the fear out of his voice.
"O-oh" he stammered, "hi Vegeta."
The saiyan prince smirked, taking a single step forward. His fists were balled into shaking fists at his side. The rage boiling in Vegeta's eyes, deep and burning like coals, was heating Goten's face to a telltale scarlet hue.
"So...your mother says you fell into a tree?" Vegeta directed his questioning at Goten.
Goten nodded, his breathing shallow. Every muscle in his body tensed to spring at a moment's notice. Another step forward and Vegeta's smirk deepened.
"That's funny," Vegeta's face contorted into the most angry, almost demented smirk Goten had ever seen. "Trunks slams his hand in a door and Goten falls flat on his face" cocking his head, he leaned down, his face inches from Goten as he studied the young demi saiyan's features.
"By the looks of it, you smashed your face against two trees...on two different sides of your face."
Goten gulped.
Vegeta straightened, his eyes narrowing into slits. His attention turned to Trunks.
"Do you think I'm an imbecile?"
Neither boy dared take their eyes off of the dark Prince. Goten's mind worked quickly, trying to think of something, anything to get himself out of this.
"What can I say, Vegeta? I'm clumsy." Goten quickly squeaked, trying to contain his fear.
"You're also a terrible liar." Vegeta roared.
With a growl, Vegeta bent, wrapping the front of Goten's jacket around both of his fists. As he straightened, he brought Goten with him, their faces so close that Goten could feel Vegeta's hot breath on his face. Swallowing painfully, Goten was forced to stare into the princes eyes.
"Listen, runt. If I find out you had anything to do with this," Vegeta snarled, lurching Goten even closer to his own face. "I will eat you alive, do you understand me?"
With a ragged breath, Goten nodded furiously, his heart pounding ravenously in his ear drums.
Vegeta's lips curled into a curt smile.
"Don't underestimate me, boy. I WILL find out."
Lunging forward, Vegeta jerked Goten towards him in an effort to drive home his dominance. Vegeta's laugh was a deep rumble in his throat when Goten flinched away.
Dropping the half saiyan back onto his sons bed, Vegeta turned and stalked from the room
Running his hands through his thick, unmanageable hair, Goten began to shake.
"Fuck, Trunks what am I gonna do?" he breathed, looking to his old friend for guidance.
The sound of raised voices sounded throughout the house, and Goten looked towards the door.
"That sounds like...Mom?" Trunks spoke softly, his voice hushed. Goten nodded in agreement.
In one swift movement, Trunks hopped off the bed and sprinted towards his bedroom door. Following the purple haired demi saiyan, Goten quickly hurried into the living room.
Bulma was on her feet, nose to nose with Vegeta. Behind her mother, Bulla looked distraught.
"Stop it! Please stop fighting! " Bulma yelled at her husband, tears rolling down her cheeks.
ChiChi stood near the door, Goku at her side. Everything seemed to have gotten worse in a matter of seconds.
"Leave her alone, Vegeta! She's 15 years old!" Bulma pleaded with Vegeta.
Vegeta narrowed his eyes at his wife as the words left her mouth, but she blazed forward.
"You yelling at her every time she enters the room isn't going to solve anything! She made a mistake, but she is your daughter!"
Bulla let out a heartbreaking sob as her parents waged war on each other in the living room, her face distorted from her emotions.
"If I find out this had anything to do with Kakarot's boy, then she will be no daughter of mine." Vegeta stated seriously.
Her face darkening into a hurt scowl, ChiChi made her way towards Vegeta. "Now wait a second, Vegeta!"
"Don't test me!" Vegeta growled.
The saiyan prince turned to walk away, but ChiChi, fueled by his sharp remarks, grabbed his arm to keep him from leaving.
"No, Vegeta, listen! You keep Gohan and Goten out of this!"
"Don't harp at me, woman!"
He ripped his forearm free from her grasp, stomping away. Bulma turned towards her friend, tears once more racing down her face.
"Oh, ChiChi! I am so sorry! He is just so mad!" Bulma now tried to reassure her friend.
ChiChi glared in his direction as Vegeta left the room. She turned towards Goku, who stood silently in the doorway. "It's okay Bulma. He's just so arrogant!" ChiChi said, frazzled by the entire situation.
Goten exchanged a look with Trunks, but decided it best to stay quiet. Bulla, standing beside her mother, slumped forward, her shoulders shaking as she gave in to a flood of emotions. Goten fought the urge to go to her side. No need to make himself look even more suspicious. Bulma leaned down in an attempt to console her sobbing daughter. Dodging her mother, Bulla turned to the hallway to retreat towards the confines her room. With a frown, Bulma moved towards the room where her husband had gone into hiding. However, when Bulla saw Goten in the shadows, her eyes widened as if she had seen a ghost.
"Goten! Let's go!" ChiChi bellowed, pushing past Goku, knocking into him with her shoulder as if he wasn't even there.
Goten looked between Bulla and his mother. Turning towards ChiChi, Goten spoke quickly. "One second, mom! I forgot to tell Trunks something…I'll be out in a second."
Goten turned, nodding at Trunks. He walked over to his friend, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I swear I'll fix this Trunks…I don't know how, but I am really sorry." Goten spoke with sincerity before quickly turning back towards Bulla, he was running out of time.
Goten quickly stepped towards her Bulla, their eyes locking. Goten smiled softly at the sight of her sparkling eyes. Inside he felt her fear, her apprehension, her sorrow and her disbelief. Staring into her huge eyes, Goten wrapped his arms gently around her shoulders, pulling her to his chest. She broke, her sobs released in a flood that splashed down the front of his shirt.
"It's going to be okay. I'll be back tonight after your dad is asleep." He pulled away after a moment, looking into her deep blue eyes. "I promise." He spoke in a hushed tone. He turned on his heels, retreating towards the doorway. He could hear his mother calling for him.
"Goten!" ChiChi yelled back towards the house. "Let's go!"
"I'm coming mom!" He yelled back, looking behind him one more time to lock eyes with Bulla, giving her the most sincere smile he could muster.
He had to fix this...
