Blue Roses

Bouzi Neo

Chapter Fifteen: Deals And Lies

Trunks'd fallen asleep without care even though he'd tried to vow that he would go in to take care of his mother. As he woke in the morning, already somewhat accustomed to Gohan's morning calls, he was saddened to remember his good friend was sick.

What he would think if he should ever find out what'd happened between his mother, the only one he had left to care for and love, his master had been hitting on. It would have been... traumatizing.

Gohan thought about this as the teen walked in the med-room. "You feeling better?"

"I sure am. I wanted Bulma to let me train but she said that I'd have to wait." He sighed, but Trunks knew his mother and laughed. It was still amusing to envision her commanding Gohan around. Gohan fought the androids without fear, but his mother... Trunks sat down in a chair.

Bulma came in briskly, nodding to her son, "You need to go eat some breakfast and let Gohan rest."

"I couldn't possibly rest anymore and you know he's no trouble."

Bulma cocked her head to the side, "I also want my son to eat something. It's almost noon."

"No kidding?" Trunks was under the impression it was nine at the latest. Bulma laughed and played with his hair, allowing him to groan a bit.

"When you have a little boy of your own you can do all the horrible things to him that I did to you and let him feel like he's abused because you hug him. Until then, you have to put up with me."

Trunks trudged out, feeling embarrassed that he was bossed around in front of Gohan of all people, but Gohan wasn't watching Trunks... He was staring at Bulma as discretely as possible.

"I have to train you know. I feel fine. I need to get stronger... All this time I'm wasting could easily be used training... I might have..."

"Stop babbling." Bulma patted him, "You're not the only one that's told me that and you're not going to be the last one I won't listen to. You will start training again tomorrow. It's only been a week," She glared at him so that he wouldn't protest, "And I'm sure that your health matters more. Believe me, of all people I want the androids killed... but your health means a lot to me."

"Think of all the people they're hurting!"

Bulma looked down. "You can start training this afternoon, then."

Trunks itched as he poured himself a bowl of cereal. Sitting down to eat it, he thought once again of the battle. Not much of a battle for him... Why didn't Gohan let him fight?

Gohan could have died and it would have been his fault.

He couldn't stand eating. He threw away the cereal, left his bowl in the sink and went back to the med room. He stared in the entryway for a few moments. His mother was standing over Gohan while he was removing bandages...

It annoyed Trunks that his mother did not seem to mind that Gohan did not have a shirt on.

"Gokou, I want you to take it a bit easier training for at least this afternoon."

Gohan stared at her, puzzled, "Gokou?"

Bulma flushed. Trunks twitched. "Sorry, Gohan... it's just that... You're so much like him... I can't believe you're going to train."

Gohan grinned, "Dad was a real warrior..."

"You are too, but that doesn't mean it's okay for you to go running around only half-healed. You just regained consciousness, I'd think that you'd be a bit more realistic."

"Dad wasn't realistic."

Bulma smiled. Trunks was going to barf. "Gokou was, wasn't he? He was a wonderful man, your father... he'd be very proud. And you look so much like him. Strong, tall, it's almost like a ghost..." There was a bit of a silence.

Trunks didn't understand why they talked about him like he was alive and got quiet when they remembered he was just some dead guy. But he wasn't just some dead guy to his mother or Gohan. To Gohan, he was a father... and to his mother...

This was stupid. Trunks decided he was not going to pry on the past or worry about stupid Son Gokou and his mother. Whatever happened between them... he glared.

"Trunks? Trunks, Dear? Are you alright?" Bulma waved a hand in front of him.

"Oh? Huh, yeah, I'm cool, Mom."

"Well, Gohan's going to go train and I want you to go back and read a bit, then you're off the hook, just please don't leave the house." Bulma wanted to make sure that he would stay by her, but sighed inwardly, knowing he was going to be joining Gohan. At least he would be remotely safe. Gohan wasn't stupid; he would train far from the droids, and be specifically safe with Trunks and given his condition... And maybe, seeing as Juunana found his way to Capsule Corp so easily... Maybe it was safer away.

"Mom, you're paranoid."

She shook her head, "Son, you saw the damage they've caused and we don't even know where they are anymore... I want you to be safe. You're my little boy, like it or not."

"I'm not a little boy anymore, Mom!"

"You sure as hell are my little boy, Trunks!" Bulma twitched. That was the second time in the last twenty-four hours that she would be told that.

"I'm not going to stay inside all day, I'm not going to sit around and study, and I'm not afraid of the androids!"

Bulma looked down, Trunks marched out. Gohan wanted to hold Bulma, but followed Trunks slowly. Bulma wanted to ask Gohan to watch her son... but they were working so hard to make sure she didn't know. She sighed and sat on his bed.

"They don't appreciate you around here."

Bulma flinched, "How did you get in here?"

"Now calm down. I told you, when I've gotten what I want, I'll leave you alone so I can play cat-and-mouse with your friend out there. I won't hurt him until then."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because now you owe me." Juunana moved closer, "Did he bang you on this bed?" He demanded, Bulma stared blankly at him, "You just walked out, so calmly last night? Is that the way it always is or did you have a fight?"

"What are you babbling about?" Bulma inched towards the side of the bed closer to the door. Juunana smirked.

"I want more than you think." He yawned and sat in the chair just moments ago Trunks'd been sitting on. Anger seethed within Bulma, but she crossed her arms over her chest. At least she knew he wasn't near her baby boy.

"What do you want? Last time I ask."

"That's the attitude I like. I want information."

"On what?" Bulma feared he would ask about the theories on time she'd been studying, but he yawned.

"I want to know where I've seen you before."

Bulma blinked, "I don't know... I haven't ever seen you face-to-face since last week."

"I've seen you before." He hissed.

"Well I wouldn't recall-"

"This was the building I fought a pair of idiots in. A green one and one that," He chuckled, "Let's just say he was odd."

Bulma tried to restrain a glare.

"Did you know them?" He demanded.

"I knew the green one... he was my... lover's friend."

Juunana raised a brow, "The one that just left the room?"

"No, not Gohan, if that's who you mean... His name was Gokou... He died of a heart attack before you even popped up from Hell," She spat, "He was a great man."

"Oh, so you were with his father, now him. That's really great, his wife must've taken it so well." Juunana was relieved that his competition was dead. Bulma was relieved he believed the lie. So relieved she did not question his knowledge on the man or how he knew he'd had a wife and that Gohan was his son but never suggested that Trunks and Gohan were brothers.

"There is nothing between Gohan and myself. He's young enough to be my son."

Juunana leered, "Ah, but I... I'm without age. I can be any age you want to think I am."

"I want to think you're dead."

He pet her cheek, "That's not nice. You know, my sister could be following your lover's son instead of playing around at some mall on my call."

"Are you saying that if I don't-"

"No." He smirked, "Not yet anyway."

"Then you're going to go?"

"Tell your lover's son to expect us in a week at the mall."

Bulma stared, "Why are you telling me this?"

He rolled his eyes, "Because now you owe me."

She blinked, but moved a bit closer to him, "If you don't kill anyone for the next week... until after the fight with Gohan... I'll owe you even more."

Juunana raised a brow, "Nice try, wanted me to promise not to kill him, did you?"

"Well, what fun would it be if you killed him?"

"He's an annoyance."

"You'll miss him while he's gone," She returned.

Juunana sat back down, eyeing her as if she were planning a conspiracy. "Okay, okay. My sister and I won't make a big mess for your lover's son to pick up, but I can't promise we won't kill anyone."

Bulma stared at him. His eyes lighted up as he mentioned violence, "Why do you want to hurt people?"

"Because it's fun."

"You have a twisted idea of fun."

He grinned, "We'll have fun really soon."

"What did I do to you?"

"You struck my interest."

Bulma crossed her arms over her chest. Juunana walked out without the intention of keeping his promise. She thought about making him leave in another way, it would alarm Gohan if they'd seen Juunana just walk out of Capsule Corporations...

But she lay back down, feeling guilty and trying to think of ways to get herself out of this new mess she'd gotten herself into…

Bulma and Juu are getting closer. Gohan's back out training. I dunno, I wanted t focus more on Trunks this chapter… didn't do a good job Ah well..

Next Time: Juunana might seemingly be abiding by the deal, but is he? And there are very dangerous stakes now. More dangerous than Bulma could've ever imagined from the moment her lips touched Gohan's while still being harassed by Juunana.

Reviewer's Corner:

Jay: Actually, yeah. I think she's got it for both Saiya-Jins and bad-boys. Vegeta is sheer proof as he is both!

Shy-Lil-Dreamer: I shall! –Salutes-