22 yr old raven-haired and eyes to match Son Goten shifted uncomfortably in his suit and tie that his girlfriend Valese had made him wear to her brother Jeff's celebration. He hated these kinds of fancy parties, yet he always loved the food that was catered. He frowned, remembering Valese didn't want him to leave her side. She wanted him to keep up appearances and act respectful. So he smiled, pretended he was interested in the conversation going on, and responded whenever he was asked a question.

Every fiber in his being was screaming for him to escape this place of fakeness and fly away to a place of nature where he could feel the grass beneath his bare toes, the fresh air rushing through his hair, and the sounds of the birds chirping in the early morning. A smile came to his face just thinking about it. Shaken out of his thoughts by his girlfriend, he realized his eyes had been closed. He blushed in embarrassment. "Um I'm so sorry what were you saying?"

Valese took him by the arm and moved away with him to the balcony. "What is wrong with you Goten? You ignored all my brother's employees."

"I didn't mean to it's just that you know this kind of scene isn't for me."

"You're right Goten, but it's important to me you're here with me to support my brother.

"And I want to be here for you Valese."

"Good," she kissed him, "now go and eat something and then come back and support me."

As Goten gathered some food on a plate, he felt someone bump him. He turned to see Bulla with a smile on her face. "Hey Goten, I didn't know Valese's brother is my brother's rival company."

"Yeah," he shifted yet again in his tight suit.

"She made you come here didn't she?"

"I'm here to support her, but this party really blows."

"Oh believe me I know but it's important for the whole Briefs family to be here. I would rather be at home curled up on the couch with Uub." She smiled.

"That's right I heard you two were a couple."

"It's a bit more than that to be honest."

"What do you mean?" She pulled back the collar of her dress to show Goten the bite mark on her neck. Quickly she covered it.

"Oh my kami! I'm so happy for you Bulla."

Bulla smiled. "Me to Goten. It's just—well I can't really describe it. You can't really know until you mate with someone." She suddenly saw a frown on his face. "What is it?"

"Um nothing forget it. So, how is Trunks doing?"

"Well I looked his way while Uub was swinging me on the dance floor and he kind of looked unhappy. I saw my mother pull aside to talk to him, but you're his best friend maybe you can help him."

He was torn. Valese wanted him to join her by her side with Jeff and his associates, but Trunks was his best friend who he hadn't spent time with in a long time. If Trunks was unhappy, he wanted to be there for him. After all when they were little he was always the one who was able to make Trunks smile when he was down. 'I hope she'll understand.' He came out of his thoughts. "I'll do my best Bulla." They hugged before he sensed his best friend upstairs in one of the rooms, so he made his way up the stairs.

The hallways were wide, which left Goten in awe and distracted until he shook his amazement and concentrated on the room Trunks was in. He stopped at the door, and he didn't know why but his heart started to race faster than it usually did. 'Wha—what's going on? Why am I reacting this way?' He put it aside, deciding to come back to it later.

Opening the door he saw Trunks in a surprising state. Sitting on a bed, hunched over with his face in his hands. Lifting his head, Goten realized Trunks had heard the footsteps come into the room. "Go—Goten!" He wiped the tears from his face.

"Trunks," he rushed to his side, "what's wrong?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Oh um my girlfriend Valese's brother is Jeff. I'm here to support her but that doesn't matter right now. Why are you upset?" As he sat down beside his friend, Trunks got up, walking around the room.

"I'm just stressed from work that's all. It's nothing serious." He crossed his arms over his chest and heard Goten snort. "What?"

"I think you forget who you're talking to Trunks. I know you better then you know yourself."

Trunks uncrossed his arms from his chest and smiled. "You think so, huh?" He stared back at his friend.

"I do." He stood in front of his friend with a serious look on his face. "So, what's going on with you Trunks?"

Goten was taken aback by the look in his best friend's eyes. They were so intense, so sad, and there was something else he couldn't quiet decipher. "I let go of all the bad distractions in my life, women, smoking, clubbing and even drinking because I realized it was stopping me from being a better person. I wanted to look in the mirror and be proud of person staring back at me. I am, but—

"But what Trunks?"

"I—I'm still not happy. There's something else missing in my life, and I'm not sure what it is."

"There. Was that so hard to say?"

"Yeah. I'm just no used to talking about this kind of thing without you." He smiled. "I've missed you chibi."

"Wait a minute I am not a chibi." He pouted.

"Some things never change." Trunks smiled as he hugged his best friend tightly as he felt Goten hug him just as intensely.

"I've missed you to Trunks. Sorry I haven't been around to hang out with you like old times."

"Well you have a girlfriend now Goten. She's going to take up most of your time. I understand that." He sighed. "I guess I could have made more of an effort with you."

"Yeah you're right you could have made more of an effort." He laughed.

"Hey don't put the blame all on me."

They came out of their embrace slowly with their eyes instantly on each other just looking deeper into each other's eyes. Neither had the desire to look away, but Trunks had a strong desire to lean his face closer to Goten and kiss him. As soon as he realized this, he backed away from his friend.

"I should get back to Valese. I'll see you around Trunks."

Trunks sat back down on the bed, speechless.

Goten made his way downstairs to see his girlfriend's eyes on him. 'Kami I can't believe Trunks almost kissed me. I can't believe I almost let it happen. What's wrong with me?' He took a breath in and out before he made his way over to her. "Hey Valese look I'm sorry—

"I ask you to do one simple thing Goten. Is it so hard to be here with me?"

"No I just had talked to Bulla before I planned to be by your side but she asked me to do her favor. I couldn't say no Valese. Trunks is my best friend since birth."

"You were talking with the enemy," said Jeff.

"Trunks is not my enemy Jeff, and I can talk to anyone in the Briefs family I want. Besides their family is very good friends with mine."

"I don't know why you brought your boyfriend here Valese," said Jeff. "He's useless." Jeff walked back to his group of friends.

"I couldn't agree more," she said. "Well what do you have to say for yourself?"

"How can I make it up to you?"

"You know what I want Goten."

"Valese I can't. I'm sorry."

"We've been together for a few years now Goten. What are you waiting for?"

"Marriage."

"I'll marry you if that's what it takes." She put her arms around his neck, but he removed them.

"Wait a minute it sounds like you just want to marry me for sex."

"No Goten that's not true. I just think we've been close on every other level, and I think sex would complete us."

"Complete." An image of Trunks came to his mind. Their eye contact and almost kiss filled his mind. 'What's going on with me?'

"Yes more connected as a couple and besides I know your mother would just be thrilled if we got married."

"Yeah that's true she would love if we got married." Somehow that didn't sit right with him. He and his mother had been getting along more ever since he brought Valese home to meet her one-day. No more arguing.

"So?" she smiled.

"I can't marry you Valese. We're too young."

Her face fell. "Then what do you want out of this relationship Goten?"

"I want us to enjoy life together and not rush into anything. I care about you Valese."

"But you don't love me. You know that's fine Goten because we're over, and you know what I've been sleeping with other men." She laughed. "I mean you didn't think I could hold out for you for so long did you?"

Goten was completely floored that he didn't even notice her walk away from him and into the crowd of people. When he came back to reality, she was gone. He couldn't breathe in this place, so he made his way out the door and into the night.

Trunks had come down the stairs to notice Valese hanging over a guy's shoulder that wasn't Goten. He tracked his best friend's ki to find he was flying back to his apartment. He felt his rage for Valese intensify, but he made his choice to go after his best friend rather then make a scene in front of his employees.

A storm had brewed as Trunks flew into it, never looking back.