Author's Note: I don't know what's wrong with me. I can't stop. xD. Six in one night? Whatever. Let's try for seven. lol. Thanks for the reviews guys! Please keep them coming because I love them and they make me happy and want to write more. (: Anyways, this one was a lot of fun to write. So hope you enjoy it!

Website: ay-vb . sakura . ne . jp/_top . html
1. Erase the spaces between the words and the periods. Obviously. xD.
2. The website is in Japanese, but that's okay. At the top there is a list of words in English. Click on GALLERY.
3. Left hand panel is a bunch of words, in Japanese. But the numbers 365 are obviously numerical so you can read them. Click it.
4. There's now a drop hand box thingy to the left, and again the numbers are numerical so don't worry about not being able to read the title of the picture. Just follow along with the numbers. Click number SIX for this drabble!

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or anything like that. That all belongs to Akira Toriyama. I also don't own the pictures I'm using for inspiration. They belong to their respective owner(s).

Like Clockwork (365 Days)

Day 006: Cake

"Happy birthday Trunks!" his family called out, earning a slight wince from the demi-Saiyan. His ears were pretty sensitive after all, and it wasn't necessary for everyone to scream in his ear. The thought was appreciated though as he smiled and looked down at his birthday cake.

"Alright, make a wish and blow out the candles!" his mother instructed, making sure that his grandmother was in the perfect spot for some perfect photo opportunities. He wanted to roll his eyes, but the conversation he had with his father the night before made him stop. His eyes moved to see the man in question leaning against the wall in the corner of the kitchen, making an effort to show up but not willing to mingle with the rest of the group. Everyone was here of course, and his mother had made his birthday into a big deal. Again, the conversation with his dad popped into his head.

"I'm getting too old for a party like that. It's embarrassing," Trunks said with a pout, crossing his arms and scowling, looking entirely too much like his father. Vegeta crossed his own arms and leaned against the wall in his son's room, attempting to get the young boy to understand his point.

"Just because your brain is older than your body doesn't mean you get to cheat your mother out of her fun," Vegeta explained, sounding rather bored. Trunks shot an annoyed look at his father before lying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. For his age, Trunks really was too smart for his own good. Intellectually he was way ahead of anyone in his class and was capable of having adult conversations, and hated having to dumb down the conversation when talking to other kids his own age.

"Since when do you care about mom's fun?" Trunks asked, hoping his dad would understand. All he got was a warning growl that made the boy press his lips together in a tight line.

"For someone who likes to pretend he's a grown up, you sure do act like a child sometimes," Vegeta pointed out, catching the boy's attention as he sat up and shot a glare at the older prince.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, fairly certain that he was about to get offended.

"It means sometimes you have do things you don't want to do, but you do them anyways. It's part of being an adult. I don't want to be there, either. I hate the people your mother hangs out with, and I don't see the point in human birthdays. They're stupid, pointless, and I have better things to do. But I show up," he explained. Trunks didn't quite see his point, and Vegeta noticed. "Why do I show up when I don't want to?" Vegeta asked, annoyed. Trunks thought about it then, eventually shrugging. Half the things his father did never made any sense to him.

"Even though I don't particularly like your mother, and even though she annoys the hell out of me, I respect her. I respect her, because she respects me. I'm not human, and your mother is the only one who seems to remember that. She's respected my culture and my traditions when she didn't have to, because I certainly never asked her to. So if she wants me to attend your birth celebration, then I'll do it. Grudgingly, but I'll do it," he told his son, noticing how he perked up at the unexpected answer he received. "How does your mother respect you?" Vegeta asked. Trunks thought about it.

"She buys me the things that I want. She makes sure I'm fed, and clothed, and clean, and that I'm safe. She teaches me, and helps me learn. She doesn't kill me when I accidentally blow something up or break something. She doesn't gives me my space and mostly my freedom," he answered, understanding his father's point now.

"So what will you do to respect her?" Vegeta asked, knowing that Trunks knew the answer now. With a sigh Trunks offered a small smile and nodded his head.

"I'll go to the party," he muttered quietly.

Without really wishing for anything, Trunks blew out the candles on his birthday cake. Smiling politely at all the clapping and happy yelling. It may have been a little embarrassing that his mother was still throwing parties like this, but his dad made a good point and he wasn't wrong. His mom put up with all of his crap, so the least he could do was deal with it for a few hours. At the very last, Goten was here. And hanging out with Goten always put Trunks in a good mood since Goten was the only kid his age that Trunks actually liked.

"Happy birthday, Trunks!" the boy in question said, a huge grin on his face that made him look like his father.

"Thanks, Chibi," Trunks told him, using the nickname that everyone used for him since he truly looked like a miniature Goku.

"What did you wish for?" Goten asked, not bothered by the nickname at all. He'd gotten used to it when he turned four. He was excited for Trunks's party, even though he could tell his best friend didn't feel the same way. It didn't matter though. Goten could have enough fun for the both of them honestly.

"A new toy I've been looking at lately," he lied, knowing that Goten didn't buy it. Goten laughed a little and shook his head.

"The party isn't that bad," Goten said quietly, bumping Trunks's arm with his own. Trunks snorted and looked around, noticing that everyone was having a good time.

"Well, at the very least, the whole gang is together. That doesn't happen often, so, yeah. It's not so bad," he admitted, smiling at Chibi. A few more hours had passed and eventually everyone started heading home. Goten left with his parents, promising that he was going to come and spend the night next weekend, which Trunks was excited for. The Sons were the last ones to leave, and then it was just the Briefs.

"Did you have a good time, sweetie?" his grandmother asked, noticing when he walked into the kitchen.

"Yeah, I did. Thanks grandma. Hey, is there anymore cake left?" he asked, hopeful. That cake was delicious. His grandmother pulled open the lid and cut him off a piece, handing him the plate and a fork.

"Good thing your father just asked for a piece, so I didn't have to put it away," she said with a wink. Trunks blinked a few times and smiled, shrugging his shoulders. He did have his father's appetite, after all. Trunks left the kitchen with his treat in hand, fork in his mouth, and feeling pretty good. The party really wasn't all that bad. His parents were on the couch in the living room, Vegeta eating his cake as he eyed his son, who stepped in front of his mother.

"Thanks for the party, mom. I had a good time," he told her, smiling. She blinked a few times and smiled back.

"Did you really?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Trunks nodded and stepped closer, leaning in and pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. Bulma beamed at him, running a hand through his hair. "Well I'm glad then," she told him. His father eyed him with approval and Trunks left, heading towards his room. He heard his parents talking, though couldn't really make out what was being said, but he realized he left slippers in the living room and his feet were freezing. Quickly going to retrieve them, he slipped them on and then turned to head towards his room again, only to be caught by a rather disgusting site. His father had gotten cake on his face, which wasn't uncommon. Though he was cleaner than Goku, he still got food on himself from time to time. What was gross was that his mother had playfully stuck her tongue out and was licking the icing off of his father's face. With a twitching eyebrow and a sudden loss in appetite, Trunks grunted.

"That's so gross. Get a room," he complained loudly, earning a glare from his father and a laugh from his mother.

"Happy birthday," his dad said, his voice full of sarcasm. Trunks glowered at him and shook his head again, leaving for his room, and even though he could still hear his mother laughing from the exchange, he couldn't help but smile a little. The party really wasn't all that bad.