:*: Game Over :*:
The rain pelted against the glass windows of every household in central Japan as December delivered its stormy weather. Trunks stirred awake to the sound of the repetitive droplets being blown more forcefully against the roof and windows in the relentless wind. The cloudy gray weather gave minimum lighting to the familiar room he was in.
He had hoped it wasn't a dream, that this was real. He could smell her, in the sheets, on his pillow. He could see that this was her room, her familiar grey painted walls, her black comforter against his body. But he couldn't see her. Couldn't hear her.
He still remembered the feeling of her skin, her lips against his mouth. The bed was empty, just him. He rolled onto his back, trying to recollect the past twenty-four hours. He remembered the long, long flight back home. Seeing his sister at the airport, seeing his stand-offish friend Goten. They arrived to his house, he packed some minor things to see Pan for the first time in six months, with plans of a happy reunion and staying the night with her.
He remembered how tired he was, physically and emotionally, and shutting down once he caught news of his unborn child for the first time. Goku and Chichi, he saw them too, he remembered. They had helped pick him back up. Helped him to hang on to this reality before he slipped into insanity, gave him the strength he needed to take on the next level of his and Pan's lives together.
Everything was starting to sink in now, it wasn't a dream.
He could hear noises from downstairs, sounds of dishes clinking together, feminine voices.
With a smile on his face, he slipped on his jeans and t-shirt, stopped in the upstairs bathroom for the usual morning stop, then headed towards the noise.
He stopped in the entrance-way of the kitchen to admire the sight before him: a pregnant Pan in her white top and black yoga pants, still looking sexy as hell in his mind, alongside her mother wearing a purple headwrap along with a matching blouse and black sweatpants.
It wasn't until now that he took notice of Videl's new appearance, still looking as beautiful as ever, hair or no hair. She was the first to notice him in the doorway.
"Trunks, good morning! Did we wake you? We tried to keep it down, but figured ten o'clock was long enough for you to sleep in." She greeted him with an eager hug, returning to her frying pan.
Pan stirred the pot next to her, their eyes meeting, each of them wearing the same grin.
"It's okay, I feel rejuvenated already." He responded as he wrapped his arms around Pan's torso from behind, greeting her with a heartfelt kiss to the cheek. "Where's Gohan this morning?" He asked, arms still around Pan.
"Oh, he just headed outside a few minutes ago. I told him not to go out in this rain, but when you men think something needs to be fixed there's no coming between you."
Trunks pressed his lips one last time against Pan's hair. "I'll go check on him. Front or back yard?"
"Backyard." Videl called out as Trunks headed upstairs for his jacket.
Pulling his hood over and slipping his hands into his jacket pockets, he braved against the rain and wind to find Gohan slowly walking the perimeter of the home, eyes focused on the ground beneath him.
"Hey, Gohan. You okay?" Trunks caught up to him, joining him at his side. He wasn't sure what the relationship was between the two of them now. In most case scenarios, a father would be pretty pissed off to learn that his young daughter was pregnant. Trunks knew that Gohan wasn't the type to be bought out thanks to that deal he had made for him in the US. If he had something to say, he would say it.
"Hey, Trunks, good morning. Just checking the foundation of the house, making sure the rain's not pooling anywhere."
Phew. Trunks thought. He's actually doing something out here, it's not just a ploy to avoid me.
Trunks loved seeing this side of the Son family. He never saw his father inspect the rain gutter for blockage or inspecting the foundation of the house for pooling. Just another element that added to the home-like feeling of this house.
"I'm glad you came back, Trunks." Gohan spoke first, interrupting Trunks' thoughts.
This caught him off guard. "What do you mean?"
"I know you're going through a pretty tough time right now, especially with the even bigger news sprung on you last night. Pan's had it hard, too. She wouldn't tell anybody about this. Her scholarship was threatened, she has to maintain a 3.8 GPA just to stay in school. Without your sister or my brother I don't know how she could have gotten by. When you left last night, you don't understand what that did to Videl and me. The worst pain a parent can go through is seeing their child hurt." Gohan held up his palm as Trunks tried to say something. "You don't understand that now, but in a couple months you will. You're scared, I know. I was too. It was a lot to take in, that's why you left, but you came back. How do you feel today?"
Trunks' silence ensued as he racked his mind for a word that could measure up to the conflicting emotions inside of him. "I feel... Happy." And he meant it. All things considered, he had yet to face his mother, and his future was now up in the air, but that meant nothing to him here at the Son home.
Gohan found no reason to doubt him. "Good to hear." He raised his arm around Trunks' back as the two continued their walk around the perimeter of the home, giving his shoulder a good squeeze. "Just keep in mind, if you hurt my daughter, or my grandson, you have me to deal with." The squeeze tightened.
Trunks gulped. "Message received."
After giving Trunks a brief tutorial on home maintenance during the rainy season, the two men joined their significant others in the kitchen for a late breakfast. Gohan had already spilled the recent affairs regarding Bulma to Videl, so she was aware of what she should and shouldn't bring up in Trunks' presence. There was only one topic she had on her mind anyways, one that she would avoid bringing up at this very moment since Trunks was still trying to wrap his head around being a dad.
After breakfast, Trunks and Pan headed upstairs. While Pan made a stop to the bathroom, Trunks made her bed for her, then laid across it, grabbing one of her pillows and tucking it under his chin as he gazed out the window to the foggy outdoors.
A gloomy omen indeed. He knew what he had to get done today, he just really didn't want to leave Pan's side.
Pan sat at the edge of the bed where his head was, nestling her fingers through his hair. A frown crept its way to her lips as she observed his dreary features. His eyes slowly drifted from the window to hers, his thoughts ceasing after resting on her face. "What's wrong babe?" He reached an arm around to hug her waist, his fingers caressing her thigh.
"Just worried about you. You don't look good."
He closed his eyes, enjoying the scalp massage from her fingers.
"My mom wanted me to tell you, no matter what happens their door's always open for you." Her parents knew that Bulma wasn't herself lately, and that she had no idea about the pregnancy, let alone the demise of her company.
They were silent for a moment until Trunks growled an exhalation and sat up, joining her at her side. "Gotta go get this over with." He locked his lips with hers one last time before standing to his feet. "I love you. I'll come back when I'm done."
"Trunks, you don't have to come back here, you're probably wanting to go home and-" She didn't want him to hang around out of guilt.
"I know I don't have to, I want to. You hogged him to yourself for six months. At lease give me some time with him."
She laughed, being pulled into a tight, yet gentle embrace. "Remember, we're all here for you." She whispered in his ear, then pressed her lips to his before his departure to Capsule Corporation.
xXxXxXx
Bra gazed out the large windows of her occupied English classroom, tapping her pencil against her opened notebook as she tuned out of the lecture. Pan wasn't in class today, again. She had missed yesterday due to stress over anticipating Trunks' return. Her absence today either meant things were going really well between them, or really bad. She hadn't heard from either of them since Trunks left his and Goten's house the previous night. She made a mental note to call them after school, just to check in.
She now wondered if he had seen their mother yet. What if she took the news worse than any of them thought? What if she cut Trunks off too? What if she filed for divorce again? What if- what if-
"Ms. Briefs!" The professor called her for the fifth time, having to raise his voice to gain her acknowledgment.
Bra's glossy eyes steered from the foggy window to his stern orbs. "Y-yes, Professor Takumi?" She blinked hard a couple of times, trying to move the water from her vision. I'm getting emotional way too easily. I must be starting my period soon. She groaned to herself.
"You are excused from today's lecture. If you are not prepared to listen, then you are not prepared to learn, let this be a lesson to every pupil in this room."
Great. Bra huffed to herself as she slid her scribbled notes and doodles into her binder. Kicked out. After closing the classroom door behind her, she could feel a burden ease off as the many eyes were no longer able to witness her walk of shame from the classroom.
Outside, she leisurely walked back to her dorm, exchanged her backpack for her laptop, and headed to a nearby coffee shop to get a headstart on her research paper that was due in just a week. Instead of driving the mile, she decided she would walk. The cold, frosty air felt refreshing to her lungs, tingling her chest with every inhalation.
"Ohayou!" The older shop owner called cheerfully from behind the counter.
"Good morning. Number four, medium please." Bra handed her a five, then gestured for the older woman to keep the change while she went to find a table near the window, isolated from the few other customers seated throughout. Flipping open her laptop, waiting for it to power up, she pulled a notebook from her backpack and jotted down a few notes.
"Medium number four." The kind older woman set the warm latte next to her laptop.
"Thank you." Bra smiled. She returned to scribbling down a few more notes for her essay, as well as using the shops wi-fi for further research.
"Two weeks before finals and you're skippin class?"
She peered up at the familiar voice as the male pulled the chair out, inviting himself to her table.
"I got kicked out for daydreaming. So, I figured I'd get a headstart on my term paper." She averted her eyes back to her screen, scrolling down a website for the article she wanted. "What's your excuse?"
Goten took a sip of her untouched coffee. "Came with a couple classmates. Instructor cancelled class today."
"Blue! I haven't seen you in a while, how have you been?" The maroon haired male joined them at her small table.
"Hi, Renji. I'm good, just trying to get some work done here." She feigned annoyance with a playful smile. "How are you-"
"You guys made it!" The three turned their attention to three females emerging from the bathroom. One, looking all too familiar to Bra, had wavy brown hair, reaching just below her breasts. The other was a new face. She had sandy blonde hair just as long her friend's. Bra's heart jumped at the last female.
"Bra, what a surprise to see you here!" Nori bent down to hug her coworker.
It was her manager from the restaurant she worked at, Nori Kato. But there was one turn of events that had Bra baffled: Why was Nori hanging out with Tundra, Marron's snobby cheer captain? And who was the other girl with them? And why are they here with Goten and Renji?!
"You two know each other?" Tundra asked, her tone sounding disappointed with her cousin's taste in friends.
Nori continued grinning. "This is my coworker I'm always bragging about. She's the one that introduced me to Renji..." Her eyes fell to the floor timidly, a slight blush creeping onto her pale cheeks.
Breaking the awkward building tension in the air, Goten stepped in. "Bra, this is Tundra and Mattis, classmates, and you already know Nori, Tundra's cousin. Her and Renji are finally official."
Bra's eyes widened. Cousins?! And wait, did he just say that Nori and Renji are- Bra's eyes narrowed at her. "Nori! You kept this from me the entire time?! That's great!" She jumped up to give her a celebratory hug, forgetting that she was probably embarrassing her in front of him.
Tundra made a noise in her throat as she exchanged a glance with Mattis. "Our table's over there, we should probably get going. Lots to discuss." She announced, breaking up the brief celebration to hurry things along.
"Yeah, you probably have a lot to do anyways. Talk to you later, Bra." Goten gave her a pat on the back as he and his crew headed to the opposite side of the shop.
Well great. Now I can't focus. She tapped her pen against her notes in frustration, still trying to wrap her head around the fact that a sweet woman like Nori is related to Tundra. Bra never interacted with the girl much, most of her dislikeness toward her came from Marron's stories since she had to suffer under her reign of the cheer squad. Still, she couldn't help but sneak a gaze to their table across the shop. Nori and Renji were sitting side by side, they looked so perfect together, like two puzzle pieces finally put together in this screwed up jigsaw of life.
She looked so happy, so calm. As did he. They had just made their relationship official, Bra couldn't help but wonder how he had asked her. Over dinner? After a movie? In middle of a romantic walk in the park? She felt her heart flutter as the endless theories circled in her mind.
So what, she was a hopeless romantic. Maybe that made her weak, she thought, but if the simple idea of love made her this happy, this hopeful, she couldn't imagine the feeling of bliss she would feel when she found her one and only.
"Ha! Goten, I knew it was a mistake accepting your invitation into this group." Tundra joked, laughing after one of Goten's many humorous lines.
… If she found her one and only.
XxxXxXx
It was almost noon this Friday morning, not that autumn weather cared what time of day it was. The later it got, the more ominous the weather responded, in Trunks' case. He felt as if his mere presence on the property of Capsule Corporation was forbidden. A firm lump developed in his throat as he parked his vehicle and cautiously made his way to the glass entrance.
He had yet to even shower that morning, since he spent most of his time in Pan's bed. He wasn't in his usual CC best that consisted of a suit, instead he was still wearing his dark wash jeans, black name brand tee, covered in a black name brand jacket. A typical college student roaming through Satan's high end business district.
"Excuse me, sir, how may I help you today?" An older, silver haired man at the help desk spoke up, suspicious of the young man entering through the doors.
"Trunks Briefs, here to see my mother, Bulma." Usually Trunks didn't have to bother with the front desk people since they were familiar with him. This guy was a fresh face.
The man, still suspicious, lifted the phone receiver to place a call. "I have a Turock here to see Mrs. Briefs. Is she expecting visitors?"
"It's Trunks." Trunks corrected him, annoyed now.
The man corrected himself, still wearing a reserved expression. "Pardon the misunderstanding, Mr. Briefs. She is expecting you."
The doorman pressed the buzzer, gaining him entrance beyond the front lobby.
He felt as if he was treading water the closer her got to his mother's floor. His palms were sweating, his fists clenching and relaxing as he thought about how to break the news to her. Nothing sounded right.
His eyes scanned over the many employees scurrying about to get their work done. Employees that took pride in their work and had families to feed. Employees that would inevitably be out of the job.
"Mr. Briefs, welcome back. I informed your mother of your arrival, she's free." Bulma's secretary looked up from her computer to greet him, then returned to her screen. She was extremely professional and efficient, only the best for Bulma Briefs.
Trunks slowly made his way beyond the secretary's desk. Inhale. Exhale. He coached himself.
After tapping the door with his knuckles, he eased it open, immediately catching her blue hair in his sight. She peered up from her desk, a grin spreading across her lips. "Trunks!" She jumped to her feet, embracing him in the doorway. "It's so good to have you home. Mikago from financing is refusing to work on the next budget outline until you returned with details on the deal. So, let's hear it my wonderful son." She gave him one last squeeze and pressed a kiss to his temple.
Trunks fought a swallow against that lump in his throat. "Why don't you have a seat..." He suggested.
She shrugged indifferently. "Fine, if you insist." Her smile was killing him more and more as each second elapsed.
"There's no deal."
Her smile dwindled from eagerness to denial. "Trunks, what are you talking about?" She laughed. "It was simple. All you had to do was sleep with her, easy as pie."
Trunks was caught off guard to hear his mother word it so bluntly. "You mean, you knew?"
She scoffed. "Of course I knew. Why do you think I sent her all those gifts in your name? She told me what she wanted, and I know you wouldn't let the family business down."
Trunks was confused, and almost insulted. "Mom, you sent me overseas to sleep with someone knowing that I have a girlfriend?"
Bulma rolled her eyes. "No, Trunks. You went overseas for an externship that just happened to have the potential to save us. The girlfriend part is irrelevant."
"Irrelevant? Mom I-"
"Trunks, you don't know what I've had to go through for this business. Don't act like you're the only one who's had to go against their beliefs and morals. It's a savage world. What separates the successful from the poor is their determination and strategy."
"Determination and strategy, yeah, but sex for money and adultery have no place in a real businessman's world. Are- wait... Did you just admit to cheating on Dad?"
Bulma pursed her lips, swiveling side to side in her leather chair. "That's what they teach you in school, Trunks. Once you're on your own, you do what you must to keep your spouse and your children happy, even if you have to live in secrecy with what you've done." Before he could go on, she started again. "Where's the contract, Trunks?" Her tone was serious now, much different from her greeting to him just moments ago.
"I told you. There's no deal. Capsule Corporation is going under." He felt less guilty for admitting to it now.
Bulma's swiveling stopped, her lips still pursed.
"Fine. Just incase, I set up an appointment for you in the states, but New York this time. Less money, but enough to keep our feet wet. I scheduled it for your winter break, that way you won't miss school."
Trunks' eyebrows furrowed against his blue eyes. "Mom, stop. I'm not going anywhere. I've missed out on enough."
"What's there to miss out on? Boozin it up with the guys? Trunks, you don't know how many people would kill to be in your position. Not only as a priviledged young adult, but as my son. I did not raise such selfish children, it's time for you to chip in and help out before you destroy this entire family and this business." She spat.
"Before I destroy this family? Do you remember that you have a daughter that you cut off? And a son that you're using for sexual exploitation?"
Bulma laughed. "Stop being so dramatic. I don't think you're grasping the fact that if you don't follow through with this, we all suffer. No more jobs, no more money, and you won't have a prestigious position post graduation. Is that what you want?"
Trunks had already thought about these things, over and over again for months now. "Fine. Normal people do it, so can we. I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying here with Pan, that's final."
She rolled her eyes. "You have got to be kidding me. Girls come and go, Trunks. I cannot believe you are betraying your entire family for her."
"Pan's pregnant, mom."
Her face froze, still wearing its angered features that were slowly dropping. Silence.
"Not Bra. Pan. Bra took the blame to keep you from doing any more damage. Pan was alone and scared for six months without me. I'm not going anywhere. I've already considered all possbilities, and being broke is a hell of a lot more pleasant than carrying out your immoral wishes. I sold Gohan's project, he'll be fine, not that you care about his or his family's well-being. Capsule Corporation is in its final days. There's nothing left. Game over."
Bulma didn't budge as his words settled in. Even as he made his exit, she just sat there. This business is mine. Years of hard work and tears, wasted. It's coming to an end... I'm coming to an end...