Ch 16

The morning sun had graced its presence into the guest room where Goten was sleeping, but he was not alone. Strong arms were wrapped around his mid section and when he tried to roll over, they wouldn't let go, so he investigated the scene with his eyes. Lavender hair and blue eye were staring right back at him.

"Hey chibi," he said softly as he smiled. "Sleep well."

"Uh yeah," he said as he blushed. "Trunks, you can let go of me now."

"And if I don't want to?" Trunks challenged.

"We can't stay like this forever Trunks. I have to talk to my mom. Kami knows I don't want to but I can't move on until things are final between me and her."

"I know," said Trunks as he let go, stood up from the bed, opened the door, and before he closed it, he looked to his friend. "Good luck Goten," he said as he closed the door behind him.

Goten knew Trunks was hurting but what could he do?

Once he was dressed, he made his way out the door of his brother's home and knocked on the door of his childhood home.

"Goten?" said his surprised mother.

"Can I come in? I think we need to talk."

"All right," she said as she stood aside to let him in, closing the door behind him.

"So?" asked Chichi as she sat down on the couch, "what do you want to talk about?"

"I love you mom."

"I love you to sweetie."

"Unconditionally?"

"Goten."

"I'm taking back control of my life mom. I'm building my own restaurant. It's what I've always dreamed of, and I would like your support. I'm my own man now, and I need you trust that I will find love in my own time. I'm in no rush."

"No!" She stood up. "This is all wrong. Time will only make you make stupid decisions."

"That's your opinion mother. I'm not dad. You can't keep treating me like I can't leave without you making decisions for my life."

"Don't you mention his name in this house, young man!"

"I won't be your punching bag anymore. I love you still, but you hurt me and I won't come back to this prison you created for me. This place may have some good memories but most of them were bad. Either accept the way I choose to live my life or keep trying to change me into your image of a perfect son but I can tell you it will do neither of us any good in the future."

"I promise support you in living your own life Goten, but I will not if you decide to pursue a relationship with Trunks."

"What do you have against him other than he's a man?"

"His reputation with girls and drinking. He's not a good influence on you Goten."

"Trunks hit a rough patch in his life. It happens to all of us, and he doesn't do that stuff anymore."

"Why, because he loves you? He only wants sex. He'll be done with you after."

Goten felt the need to leave after he saw his mother. He told his brother he would be taking off and man did he take off. He just needed to be away from his mother and the negative energy she seemed to possess and for a moment he wondered if what his mother said about Trunks was true. He shook his head. 'She doesn't know him like I do. He would never—but then he thought about Trunks' conversation with Devin.

Putting the whole ordeal out of his mind for the time being, he landed outside the Briefs gate to the house and he paused. He thought about Trunks again. 'I rejected him, and he looked so surprised. I guess he's never been rejected before,' he sighed, 'he probably hates me.'

Looking at the Briefs home, he concentrated on his room, popped in, used capsules for all of his stuff, and took off. 'I wish I could have stayed, but I can't. It's time to find my own home.'

He made a stop at the location of his restaurant. He noticed Hercule looking at some blue prints as he supervised the construction. His gaze then went to him. "Hey Goten! Glad you're here. What do you think? I mean I know it's just in its beginning stages, but it looks great, doesn't it?"

"It's perfect," said Goten in surprise. "It's exactly they way I pictured it."

"Well I'm sure Trunks had something to do with it. That boy knows you like the back of his hand."

"Yeah," he said as his eyes roamed over every detail of the outside of the restaurant."

"Everything ok?"

"I need a place to stay until the restaurant is completed."

"Well you can stay with me. I've got plenty of room but what happened at the Briefs' home?"

"Nothing, it's just time for me to move on from that place and I can't go home again."

"Miserable, huh? I know all about that. I lived in a chaotic home, parents fought all the time."

"I'm sorry."

Hercule smiled. "Such compassion."

Goten settled in one of the many rooms in Hercule's mansion. 'Gee, what does he need all this space for?' he thought as he wandered the huge home and as he turned a corner, he saw Henry Rex and his son Devin come out of one of the rooms.

"Mr. Son, what a surprise," said Henry.

"What are you doing here?" asked Goten.

"I had some business with Hercule. We've been making updates to his home for some time now, so we'll be here more often," said Henry as Devin smirked.

"Great," said Goten.

"What are you doing here?" asked Henry.

"I'm staying here for a little while."

"Why, too ashamed to go home?" asked Devin.

"I know who I am. No matter what lies you spread about me, I know what I'm not."

"Well said. We must be going now Devin," Henry said as his son followed him down another hall and disappeared.