One Simple Little Wish
by Pan no Ojousan
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Beep…beep…beep…beep… One deep, indigo eye fluttered open and looked at the clock. The other soon followed as I pushed myself up and out of bed. For the first time a while, I wasn’t cranky and angry when I awoke that morning. I smiled to myself and gently pushed the ‘off’ button on the alarm. I considered snuggling back into the soft, warm blankets and sleeping for a few more hours. It was what I wanted…so why not let myself have it? I had a good feeling about today. I could call off work and sleep for a while more…but in reality, I couldn’t. Something important was happening at work today. Taylor was calling, and I had to let him know where we were going. My date with Trunks… Yes, I remembered the call I’d received from Bra the night before. Claiming that she had evidence that clearly placed blame on him. But I couldn’t believe her. I’d finally let my emotions get the best of me, and I didn’t care if she wanted to ruin it. I loved him, and that was all I needed. Maybe he’d love me back…maybe he wouldn’t. But either way, I was hopeless. Even though it was the first time I’d ever felt hopeless about anything, it was a nice kind of hopelessness. The kind you know will bring you happiness, and nothing short of it. The plan…the only thing I could think about that now was, ‘what plan?’ It was as good as a lie to me, and lies are worthless. Nothing could phase me now. I was in love. Lunch with Bra was now out of the question. If it would jeopardize my feelings, it wasn’t worth it. I didn’t want to chance anything right now. But if I felt like there was a risk, then the feeling wasn’t real…or… I sighed. “Too much thinking again, Panny. Just don’t go.” If only it were that easy. If there was a chance that Trunks was lying to me, I should probably check into it. It would make the whole ‘heartbreak’ phase of the relationship a lot easier. But couldn’t she even give me a day that I could enjoy this? All I wanted was one stupid day. No awkward emotions or suspicions. It was all too easy to push the suspicions out of my head. I guess that’s what happens when you’ve completely fallen for someone; you just can’t suspect them of doing anything wrong to you. I got up and out of bed, still happy. A wonderful, refreshed feeling stirred a slight tingle throughout me. I’d never felt quite so cheerful in the morning before. I felt…I felt like I was in love. Which I was, I thought with a smile. I completely was. I must have brushed my teeth twelve times that morning, and I didn’t even eat. My stomach had a strange feeling inside it, and I couldn’t eat. I just…I don’t know. It was weird. I even flew to work, only because I wanted to do something exhilarating and different. The day met me with a thousand meetings. Apparently, there was a problem with one of the sponsors of Z TV, and we had to act quickly to keep everything financially right. Even with all that stress and all the pressure, I was in a good mood. I kept relaxed about everything. In the middle of one of the meetings, the people all around me suddenly all gave me a look. I guess I was too happy about all this for them to really handle. Hours crawled by, but it all seemed like nothing to me. Even though the day was going slowly, it passed before I knew it. I finally had some time to myself at around ten. I sat alone in one of the offices where I was supposed to be filing things, just thinking. Not about plans or revenge or how crushed I would be when all this was over…I thought about Trunks. I thought of how much I loved him, and how much I hoped he loved me. He’d said that he did. Indirectly, but still. It was always harder to admit it to the person that you really cared about. I hadn’t told him that I loved him, either, but I still did. He could tell. And I could tell that he loved me. “Pan?” I glanced up from where I’d been aimlessly sorting papers. “Huh?” Janet and Ellen (another co-worker) scurried into the room and sat near me. I was at a desk, and they were on either side of it. They glanced at each other, eyes bright with excitement, and then simultaneously turned to me. “You seem…distant today,” Ellen said, her face beaming. I nodded slowly. “Yes, I am a little lost in thought. Is that bad?” “What thoughts are you lost in?” Janet prodded. “Thoughts about life,” I said dreamily, leaning my head against the back of the chair. “I’m just thinking about—” “Trunks?” Ellen finished for me. Janet squealed in delight and focused on me, ready for me to tell them everything. “You slept with him last night, didn’t you?” “WHAT!? No!” I cried, my face turning red. “Of course not! I’d never…we…I…he…just…” “SHE DID!” Janet yelled, smile broadening. “No, I didn’t,” I said firmly. “My father had morals, you know, that he instilled to me. I wouldn’t… How many people think that around here? That’s what Bra said last night on the phone!” Ellen flashed a guilty smile. “Not too many…just about three quarters of the people in this building…” I groaned, slumping onto the desk. Great. The last thing I wanted was rumors flying everywhere. Plus, this was a TV station. They could put this on the air if they wanted. It was always the public’s business whom Trunks was seeing. Maybe they’d take pity on me and let me just go about my business. “Don’t worry, Pan,” Janet said, trying to comfort my discouraged self. “We’ll set them straight. We’ll tell them it hasn’t happened yet.” “Thanks,” I said dryly. “While you’re at it, tell them it won’t unless by some miracle my father lets him live long enough to marry me.” Another chill. I’d just said the word ‘marry’ in reference to Trunks. Please let it be a sign!! “So…you’re engaged?” Ellen asked carefully, not wanting to end up with the wrong idea yet again. “No, we’re going out tonight though. With Taylor and Bra. Who knows, maybe we’ll have fun,” I commented sarcastically. Though it might not be much fun to have Trunks practically baby-sit his little sister while she was on a blind date. Maybe I could manage to keep his mind off of that… In fact, he probably wouldn’t care at all. I mean, if he loved me like he claimed to, then he should have no trouble focusing on me, right? Right, I told myself. That was the way to think. “Where’s the girl of the moment?” some guy called melodically, poking his head into the room. “There you are, Pan. Phone call, line five. Says it’s important.” “Thank you,” I breathed, snatching up the phone. “Trunks? Bra? Taylor?” “Correct,” Taylor said. “We up for tonight?” “Yes,” I said happily. “I told her about you and she was psyched. I’ll meet you at that little ice cream place on the corner near Capsule at six, then we’ll both go to the house.” “Sounds good. Thanks, Pan.” I smiled. “You’re welcome. See you tonight.” “Bye.” I hung up the phone, then turned to the women seated near me. “What time is it?” I asked icily. “Um, ten thirty, almost,” Janet said suspiciously. “Why?” “No reason,” I said nonchalantly. My attention slowly focused on other things. “I just have…an appointment to keep. One o’clock, huh? Well, I’ll be there. And whatever proof you have had better be good.” At the time, I was completely oblivious to the shock of the people with me. They quietly left the room, leaving me to ponder over what to do. All I could really do, though, was wait for one o’clock to roll around. Which could potentially take quite some time yet. * * * * * For some reason, I felt obligated to drive to Capsule that afternoon. I drove with the top down, the wind rushing through my hair. Most normal lunch breaks were over by now, so I had the road almost to myself. The only problem was that it was still in the city portion of Satan City. I didn’t have the speed or freedom that I desired on the road. Which was probably a good thing, being as I didn’t intend to break my perfect driving record. How could a girl that was so much of a speed demon as I never have once gotten a ticket? Mysteries like that would probably never be solved. As could be expected of me, I was blasting the stereo as high as I could, despite my Saiyan hearing. It didn’t phase me so much as it probably would have phased Vegeta. Besides, it wasn’t like I was listening to a boy band at such an unreasonable volume. Although it seemed that a lot of people I passed were surprised that I wasn’t. My precious automobile got me all the way to Capsule in just under ten minutes. I think it normally would have been a lot shorter, but I took a lot of side roads to enjoy driving. I loved to drive. When I reached the building, I wasn’t surprised to find Bra already out outside and looking slightly peeved at my tardiness. Thankfully, Trunks was nowhere to be found. I pulled the car to a stop just inches away from hitting my half-Saiyan friend. “Hello,” I greeted cheerfully, still revolving around my rediscovered and much more intense love. It made me happy, even when it wasn’t the prevailing thought in my mind. “You’re late,” Bra said shortly. My lips curled into a frown. “I know,” I said slowly. “But I was driving. Can you blame me?” “Yes. Z TV isn’t ten minutes away from here.” “Yes it is,” I argued. She sighed, shaking her head. “Lose that little melodic chime in your voice. It makes it sound like you actually have fallen for my brother.” I froze. She didn’t know? “Well, I’m just trying to act convincing,” I laughed nervously. “Doing the best I can…y’know…” “A little too well, if you ask me,” another voice said coldly. Bra and I both turned, and to my utter panic and horror, we saw Vegeta. I glared at him in a silent question, one that he’d received all too much from his wife. What the HELL are you doing here!? He only smirked at me and folded his arms. His eyes plainly showed the answer. He wanted to laugh at me. “You really are an asshole, you know that?” I growled under my breath. “I’m very aware, thank you,” he said mockingly. “Now please, Bra, show Pan what you’ve found.” Bra hesitated for a moment, wanting to ask him how he knew, but she ultimately decided against it, dragging the two of us to a secluded spot on the other side of the lot. There was a little table set up there, with only two chairs on it. Vegeta chose to stand in the background, arms folded over his chest. She thrust a paper to my face, a grim smile on her lips. She could tell I felt something for Trunks, probably confirmed by the fact that Vegeta had wanted to be there to laugh in my face. Her uneasy attitude made me think that she wasn’t as determined to break us apart as she let on. I took the paper from her hand and studied it carefully, Vegeta hovering over my shoulder the whole time. “Read it,” Bra commanded, folding her arms over her chest, resembling her father a great bit. ~*~
~*~ Bra smiled nervously when she noted I was finished reading. “It doesn’t seem like much, I know,” she said softly, “but the part…about the idea. I think it’s planned. I truly do.” “No,” I mumbled. “It’s not…he…why…I don’t understand.” Vegeta successfully kept his mouth shut during all of this, though I could tell he was ready to burst into maniacal laughter. “He shouldn’t have left this lying around,” I said angrily. “If he didn’t, then you never would have found it and I never would have had a second thought!” “You did fall for him. Just like it says.” “Is that why you called me to stop me from sleeping with him last night?” I asked. “Because you got suspicious from this paper?” Bra was silent for a moment. “Yes,” she said meekly. Vegeta’s eyes widened slightly. “You did not mate with my son!” “No, I didn’t,” I assured him, clenching my teeth and narrowing my eyes. “Nor am I planning to.” “Good,” he growled. I ignored him. Bra noticed my eyes grow dim. She used her index finger to tilt my head in the direction of hers. “You’re not gonna wimp out now,” she said firmly, her blue eyes glittering almost evilly. “He’s trying to break your heart here. You’ve gotta fight back.” “No,” I said quietly. “I don’t want to get deeper into this than I already am.” “I don’t care what you want,” Bra declared. “You’re not gonna let my brother crush you like that, got it? You have to at least go out with us tonight.” Yes, tonight. I had to. I’d already promised so many people… “Okay,” I breathed. “But I’m breaking up with him tonight.” Bra laughed at me. “You act like it’s some long and heartfelt relationship,” she teased, pushing me gently. “You saw him on Sunday, for Kami’s sake.” “It wasn’t until yesterday that we ‘got together’ so to speak,” I pointed out. “That makes our ‘relationship’ less than a full day old.” “That’s something to mourn over,” Bra laughed. “An entire sixteen hour relationship, destroyed within moments.” I scowled at her. What was so funny about this, anyway? I, for one, was in love. I could understand the humor, to an extent. But when I was expected to just shrug it off…that was something I most definitely couldn’t do. It had taken me a while to accept the fact that Trunks probably didn’t love me. And that he never would. But recently it HAD happened, and I wanted to ENJOY IT! Was that so much to ask!? Apparently it was. Trunks, even, seemed to think I wasn’t important enough for my emotions to hold any value. I glanced at my watch. “Gotta go,” I mumbled, even though I had plenty of time left to chat. I didn’t much feel like it. “I’ll be back at six for the dinner.” Bra seemed to understand. I’m sure Vegeta did, too, although he made no visible sign of realization. I took to the sky, leaving my precious car there. Which was stupid, and I should have gotten it back, but I didn’t. I just wanted to go back to work for a while. Way to kill the happiness I’d felt. The smile on my face had been replaced by a disappointed and heartbroken scowl. But I couldn’t help it; I was disappointed and heartbroken. And I guessed it wasn’t too surprising to everyone, because Vegeta immediately left the area and Bra watched me disappear in the distance. Maybe it wasn’t true. He might have just had a strange way of expressing that he loves me; by making it look like a plot. It was possible… The remaining two and a half hours of work went smoothly and quickly, and I didn’t have to defend my relationship with Trunks all too much more. I found that I was, in fact, starving. I hadn’t eaten lunch for the past two days, and I’d skipped breakfast that morning. Furthermore, my dinner last evening was horrible. I was way too nervous to have eaten then. I had to fly home, due to the fact that I’d left my car at Capsule. Stupidly enough. Why could I never think to bring my car along when I wanted it? Usually, I’d like to fly, but now I wanted to drive. And yet that never entered my mind when I so hastily decided to leave it there. Oh well. I’d be seeing it tonight. Due to my thought process, I found myself in a room of the apartment I rarely visited anymore. It was the second bedroom (which Bra had insisted I get for when she came over), and filled with items from my childhood. I sort of used it as a memory room. The sky blue walls draped down to meet with the soft, white carpeting. Everything here seemed to be done in silk. The canopy bed showcased a lovely, royal blue curtain, held in place by golden posts. Three large, white pillows rested against the oak headboard, on the blue blanket…It was fairly obvious that blue had been one of my favorite colors as a child, as the ‘memory room’ was themed in it. A solitary stuffed bear sat atop the blankets. A panda bear, no less. I’d always cherished that bear when I was young. I never was one for sentimental objects like that, but the bear was different. It was a gift from Bra that I received when I was only three. It brought back a lot of memories… Once, my half-Saiyan friend and I got into a fight over the little guy. She insisted that I didn’t care about him and he’d have a better home with her. I claimed that just because I didn’t worship it like a god didn’t mean I didn’t like it. We fought and fought, and Goten and Trunks had to step in and break it up. Goten had suggested a spar, and the winner would get to keep the bear. It sounded good to me. Bra instantly requested the aide of her brother, and naturally, he helped her. I smiled softly, remembering. I’d whined and complained that Trunks was too strong for me, and decided finally that we’d have a ‘different’ kind of spar. No ki-blasts, no contact whatsoever. A verbal spar. As a four-year-old, I had a bad attitude most of the time anyway. He won, of course, his Saiyan pride not allowing him to lose to such a child. But he let me think I had a chance. I leaned against the bed, still seated on the ground. I should start getting ready to go…it was five fifteen. I’d told Taylor I’d meet him at six. I began fishing through the closet for something that might look nice, but not…too nice. I successfully chose a simple, violet dress. Tight, but not too tight in the upper torso, it loosened a bit and then pulled tight again around the waist. After that, it flowed out to about knee length. Simple spaghetti-strap style, and yet managing not to make me horrendously gorgeous, I thought with a smirk. Now to find shoes to match. “Good Lord, Pan,” I laughed at myself, rummaging through the spare closet. I’d taken to using it for clothes that I didn’t wear all too often. “When you start coordinating clothes with shoes, you know you’re turning into Bra. Especially when you have enough shoes to coordinate.” I’d become such a shop-a-holic. Maybe hanging around Bra and Trunks would make me tougher again. One could only hope. My stomach rumbled as I began to get changed. I winced, really hoping that Trunks was planning to take the bill. * * * * * I dropped from the sky and checked my hair over again. I mean, I didn’t want to look like I’d just been flying for three minutes. Especially when the person I was looking for wouldn’t expect it. I was behind the ice cream place, preparing to present myself to my Uncle-look-alike friend. I expected him to be honest about my appearance, especially since he’d only known me for a day. I walked out from my shadow-strewn hiding place and smiled warmly at the man I greeted. “Pan?” he asked, gaping. “Whoa, you look great.” I beamed. Just what I wanted to hear. “Thank you,” I smiled. “So do you, even though you look like Goten so much right now.” “Is that good? Does Bra like people who look like Goten?” I laughed at his nervousness. “Yes, she does,” I said, rolling my eyes a bit. “Now, we have to go to Capsule. Bra and Trunks should be waiting.” Taylor chuckled softly as we started to leave the ice cream place. I turned my head slightly to glare at him. “What?” “The way you said his name,” he said, smiling at me as we walked. “So…lightly and softly. Like you really care about him.” “I do,” I said quietly. “I hope he cares about me at all.” “Come on, now. You’ll be fine,” he reassured me. “He doesn’t know what he’d be missing if he chose not to see how gorgeous you are.” I blushed a bit, my face illuminated in the moonlight. It was quite visible that I loved the flattery. We went on in silence to the Capsule building, which wasn’t all too far away. I snatched my car out of the parking lot and drove the remainder of the way to their front door, literally parking in the yard. Taylor was reluctant to admit that he was with me after that. I knocked on the door for him, as he was petrified as to Bra’s reaction to him. Unfortunately for both of us, Vegeta answered the door. My face fell when I saw him. “You were there, too, weren’t you?” I realized. “Yes,” he smirked. “You were gracious enough to give me the exact time of your arrival this evening. You are for the brat, if I’m not mistaken.” “No, Vegeta, I wanted to go out with Bra,” I said sarcastically. “I wouldn’t put it past you,” he scoffed, earning a light slap on the head. I brushed past him and let poor Taylor take the inquisition. Looking like Goten could only have made it more difficult. “Hey, guys,” I said upon entering the living room. Bra squealed with delight, drawing the attention of Bulma, who also gasped when she saw me. “You dressed up!” Bra cried, bounding over to me in her red ensemble. Red halter top, with spiked heels to match, plus a short, black skirt. “I didn’t know if you would!” Bulma rose from her chair and put down her magazine, coming over to inspect my appearance. “You do look amazing,” she mumbled, smiling. A mischievous grin appeared on Bra’s face. “Trunks will love it,” she said loudly, turning her head slightly in the direction of his room. I was tempted to break her little nose right then, but I kept control and only breathed heavily. Before long, and just as Bra had planned, Trunks showed up in the doorway. And also as she planned, he was in awe at what met him there. I tried to smile, but it was clouded with resentment toward my friend. “Wow,” he murmured. “Trunks, stop it. You’re drooling,” Bra teased. Trunks shot her a look and went outside to save Taylor from Vegeta. She giggled and turned back to me. “Why is it that guys never even make an effort to look nice for this kind of thing?” “Trunks made an effort,” Bulma countered. “He actually changed his clothes today. That’s an effort all in itself.” I laughed lightly. “So, where are we going?” I asked. “I didn’t make any reservations or anything…” Bra waved it off. “We’re the CEO and VP of the biggest company in the world,” she reminded me. “We can go wherever we want, whenever we want.” “True,” I admitted. “Go now?” “Yep. Can’t wait to meet Taylor!” “I think you’re using him as rebound,” I said, in reference to her breakup just before we saw each other on Sunday. She waved me off. “That was a week ago! I can’t help it; I’m just like my mother in the sense that I can’t be without a man for too long.” We walked outside, just in time to hear Trunks saying, “Dad, don’t kill him yet! I still have to go out with Pan!” Bra sniggered and nudged me gently. “And she’ll be crushed if he’s not with her,” I added, smiling brightly at my claimed ‘date’ for the evening. “So please, Vegeta, don’t kill the boy who looks like Goten just yet. Pan wants to spend the night racking up a huge dinner bill for her date!” Vegeta scowled at me, releasing Taylor’s neck. Taylor started breathing again when Vegeta left the area to go back and train. I turned to my new acquaintance, disappointment in my eyes. “Didn’t I tell you not to piss him off?” “I didn’t try to…he just said I looked like ‘Kakarot’s brat’ and started strangling me!” Bra beamed at me. ‘Thank you,’ she mouthed, then ran over to aide her date. “I’m sorry, I should have told you, Daddy has a grudge against Goten’s dad and will stop at nothing until all remaining descendants of Kakarot are dead. Excluding Pan because Trunks likes her.” “I never said—” I smacked him sharply in the side. This wasn’t a good image to be maintaining as a couple. I gave him a you’d-better-not-make-her-mad-at-me-OR-yourself look, and I think he got the message, because he fell silent. “Anywhere to go in particular?” I asked. “I didn’t exactly make any plans…” Bra’s head popped up at the mention of the all-too-famous word. “Oh…” she murmured. “We can…go…to…um…that place down the road. The nice one. Trunks, I hope you brought a lot of money in cash.” “I did,” he assured us all. “I’m hungry, I figured Pan was hungry, and you must be hungry. I don’t know about you, uh, Taylor.” “I’m hungry, too,” he said. “But I pay for Bra.” “NO!” Bra wailed. I couldn’t help but laugh. “I mean, I want to handle this myself. Trunks might be paying for Panny, but that’s because they’ve been out before,” she recovered quickly, shooting me a death glare. “Limo should be here any minute.” “Limo?” Taylor repeated, face growing pale. I guessed he wasn’t used to such luxury. “Yeah, limo,” I said. “Unless you’d rather drive the car that you didn’t bring.” “When you put it that way,” he stated, smiling slightly. Trunks was still staring at Taylor, a suspicious gleam in his eye. He turned to slowly look at me. “Are you sure that’s not Goten?” he asked quietly. “Almost positive,” I said, stifling laughter. “His ki, go ahead and check it out.” He nodded slightly, accepting my deduction to be a truth. “He looks a lot like him, though.” “Yep,” I said. “That’s why I thought he’d be perfect for Bra.” I mentally scolded myself for forgetting that afternoon’s discovery so quickly. But he seemed so innocent, to me…and I didn’t want to mess up our date. So I let it alone, and allowed myself to forget any grudge I had against him for any reason. But I had no real reason to hate him, other than this whole Marron and Goten thing. The fact that he very well may be using me for something, or maybe just trying to break my heart as a stupid accomplishment. But even though I was angry and hurt, I couldn’t help but adore him. He seemed so innocent, though I knew all too well that he wasn’t. Just another mischievous boy wanting to cause trouble. Laughing to myself, I decided that’s exactly what he was. Bra snapped her fingers in front of my face, awakening me from my thoughts. “Limo. Here. Now. Come,” she said, smiling at me. “Oh,” I said, startled. “Right. Trunks?” “In limo already,” she said shortly. “Laughed at you for many moments. You’re being used and it’s so obvious that even Taylor has asked me about it.” “Well, I told him…” “Good God, woman! If you tell everyone under the sun, he’s sure to get wind of it somewhere!” “Oh. Sorry. Won’t tell another soul.” She just rolled her eyes and led the way to the black limo. I loved black cars. Maybe because it matched my hair oh, so well. Black limousines were even better. So sleek and elegant, and strikingly authoritative at all times. And those things could move! I smiled faintly, remembering a prior experience involving Goten, Trunks, Bra, and a limo. But that’s another story entirely. I climbed into the automobile, amazed at how much room there actually was inside it. We were very comfortably seated, all with plenty of room to move around and a phone nearby. Taylor’s eyes shone with an urge to mess with the many buttons, but he kept to himself. Only I noticed, I think, because the same light often lit up Uncle’s eye. “We better be going someplace fun,” Bra warned. “I wanna let loose. I don’t feel like going home tonight.” Taylor paled. Trunks laughed at him. “Bra, you’re being so forward,” I scolded her. “We can probably stay out until midnight, at which point we have to at least think about going back. I mean, my dad said he’d be calling tonight when he expected me to be home and I told him one AM. Just to be safe.” “He’s not planning on tearing me apart and feeding me to Goten, is he?” Trunks asked fearfully. I laughed at the insane assumptions Trunks suddenly harbored for my father. “I don’t believe so,” I told him. “He just said to get me home in one piece and make sure I’m not traumatized for life. At which point, he would plan on tearing you apart and feeding you to Goten. And maybe me, if I was hungry.” Taylor laughed half-heartedly. “Do…all your friends and family kill people regularly?” he asked carefully. We exchanged a nervous glance. “No,” Bra said sharply. “I just…we’re just joking. It’s a figure of speech.” “Yeah…like if I were to say I was gonna kill you, I wouldn’t be serious. You know?” “Um, yeah…” The remainder of the ride was spent in silence. It was a little too easy to mistake Taylor for Goten, thinking that he already knew us and everything. Even I had let it slip my mind for a moment. Bra kept glancing from Trunks to me and back again, then giving me some sort of signal that I didn’t understand. I looked confused, and she rolled her eyes in exasperation. Her lips slowly formed several words, in large and exaggerated motions. I still didn’t get it. She slapped herself in the forehead. “Bra?” Trunks asked, looking concerned. “What are you doing?” “Nothing,” she sighed. “Pan is just a little too dense for me.” He nodded, relaxing again. I instantly grew self-conscious and felt maybe I really was dense. As soon as Bra stopped glaring at me, I shot Trunks a glance. He gave me a well-I’ve-only-been-trying-to-get-your-attention-for-an-hour look. I’d have said ‘ohh’ but that would have attracted the focus of the others in the car. I motioned that we were almost to the restaurant, so whatever he had to say he could tell me there. Before we knew it, we had pulled up to our destination. Bra literally dragged me out of the limo, eager to display me to the world. She thought it was the most amazing thing ever that I was wearing a dress. She proudly showed me off to all the other people there, then dragged me into the building to get our table. Bra ambled up to the important-looking man at the reservation desk. “Table for four, please,” she said, flopping a small chunk of money on the table. The man grinned and took it. “Nice to see you again, Ms. Briefs,” he said. “I trust you know where to go?” “Of course,” she smiled, turning back to me and the others. “Got us a seat. Let’s go.” We followed Bra to the back, and a magnificently huge table that looked as though it could comfortably seat a dozen people. “Are you sure this is ours?” Taylor asked timidly. “Positive,” Bra said firmly. “No one ever wants this table because we’re here too much.” Her eyes instantly widened, wondering how she would excuse that. “But usually we have more people,” I said quickly, trying to cover for her. She thanked me silently and went about her seating arrangements. Trunks and I were to sit at one end, then a sea of food, then Bra and Taylor on the other. They seemed intent on spending the majority of their date talking about me and my plight. Which I didn’t very much appreciate. Why did I have to be the center of everything? Not everything, just everything involving Trunks and me together. At all. Before too long, the waitress appeared to take our order. Bra was quick to make it, smiling brilliantly at her brother for accepting to pay in advance. “We’d like everything on the menu,” Bra said confidently. Taylor’s jaw dropped to the ground. “Are you…sure you can eat all that?” he asked shakily. The waitress waved him off. “As long as you leave me a good tip, I’ll bring you anything.” “We will,” Bra promised her. “Trunks is paying.” “Oh,” she laughed. “In that case, I’ll bring you double the entire menu.” “NO!” Trunks cried. “I’m rich, sure, but I can’t afford that! Mom will kill me!” We all (except Taylor) laughed at him. I was glad that this waitress wasn’t resentful over the quantity of food we’d requested. “I’ll be back in a while,” she said, turning to leave. “I trust you’re all patient people?” “Not that patient,” Bra said. “Just give us the food as it’s ready.” “Oh, okay,” the waitress nodded. “Later.” We engaged in stupid-and-pointless conversation for a while, mostly just Bra telling Taylor about herself. She exaggerated some aspects of her personality, like her so-called habit of cleaning. Trunks laughed, but he let her pretend. I managed to keep a straight face. “Plus, I’m not as overly active as my dad and brother,” she went on, eyes glowing. “I don’t fight with anyone…except Pan, but only when she’s desperate.” “You…all fight?” Taylor asked, visibly uncomfortable. “No, I don’t,” Bra said, exasperated, as though she’d just wasted ten minutes explaining all this and he hadn’t grasped it at all. “Pan and I fight,” Trunks said, somehow managing to look solemn. I nodded and took his hand. “It’s how our relationship was started. On the battlefield…” “During the war,” he added. “It was so…Pan, help me out here.” “Bloody,” I supplied. He almost smiled. Almost. “But the red reminded us of how our hearts were connected.” “With the blood,” he said, barely stifling laughter at this point. “It was so romantic, all the death and depression. Too bad I had to kill your grandfather.” I sighed and gazed into his beautiful eyes. Yes, this was all a big mockery, but I’d take any excuse to look into his eyes like that. “I forgive you, Trunks!” “Aw, Pan!” “Alright, enough,” Bra said, looking disgusted. “We all know you two were raised together. I know Trunks has never fought in an officially-declared-by-the-country war. Pan, you’re just a bad liar.” She turned to Taylor to get his support, but he was completely pale, looking at us as though we really were bloodthirsty, murderous savages. “Taylor, we were joking,” Trunks said, looking slightly concerned. “Pan’s grandfather just disappeared, I swear. I didn’t have a hand in killing off any of her relatives.” “And Trunks and I don’t fight like that,” I said pointedly. “Sparring. Martial arts. Nothing with guns…usually.” “Oh! Martial arts!” Taylor said as the realization slapped him. “I thought you…like, killed people and stuff. If it’s just martial arts, then I might consider getting to know you freaks a little better.” We laughed half-heartedly. There actually was a very real chance of death involved most of the time, but he didn’t have to know that. The first round of our meal was brought to the huge table shortly afterward. We started our dinner, but the dinner conversation didn’t let up. “So, how did you two end up finally hooking up?” Bra asked me. “I mean, I thought…erm…nothing.” I forced a laugh, casting a nervous glance to Trunks. “Um, I don’t know…I just…asked him if he wanted to come out with you and Taylor tonight. And he said okay.” “It’s deeper,” Taylor observed, smiling distantly. I shot him a sharp glare, but quickly and discreetly. I don’t think he even caught it. “Bra told me you two were together last night.” Trunks choked on whatever he was eating. I flushed a deep crimson color. “No, not really,” I said hurriedly. “I mean, we were together, but not in the sense that I think you mean.” Trunks still hadn’t recovered from gagging. “Oh,” he said skeptically. “So explain your light, cheerful, bubbly and happy mood today—if, as you say, nothing happened.” “Is he okay?” Bra asked, indicating the slightly violet Trunks. “I’m fine,” he croaked. “Just…having trouble eating.” “And this sudden dilemma has nothing to do with you and Pan?” Taylor asked, grinning. As though he knew something. Trunks’ eyes narrowed. “Look,” he said, coldly and calmly. “I wanted to talk to Pan. I went to her apartment. Now, we’re all adults here, right? We don’t go automatically assuming anything when two people are alone in an apartment at night, right?” “No, we do,” Bra told him. “Why do think I panicked and called last night? I thought for sure you two—” “Okay, that’s enough,” I yelped. “If my father could hear this conversation, I’m positive that I would be forced to move back in with him and Trunks’ head would be on his wall.” “He can’t hear it,” Bra reassured me. Tried to reassure me, anyway. It didn’t help at all. “Besides, I guess you’re right. I mean, you haven’t even told her you loved her, right?” “Right,” he said, as though he’d forgotten that I was sitting right there. My heart sank. You should have seen it coming. You knew he’d deny it in front of people, you warned yourself of that last night. But as much as I tried not to let that simple admission hurt me, it did. It hurt a lot. “Not yet, anyway.” I lit up again. “Not yet, huh?” I smiled, patting his arm with my hand. “You just take your time then, okay?” “Well…okay,” he said, turning a light shade of pink. “But you know…” “I know,” I said happily. Aah, the conversation from the night before. How peaceful and serene, and with Trunks…and so comfortable…I loved it. I loved him. So why not tell him? No, not now, I told myself. Later. Tonight. After we get back to Capsule. The next round of food came, and the waitress informed us that it was going to be the largest. There would only be one more occasion of her visiting, and she wanted us to have enough room on the table to put more food on it by then. We gladly agreed and ceased our conversation, taking the time to eat. Quickly. Taylor could eat surprisingly fast, for a full-blooded human. Almost as quickly as me at a moderate pace. But to him, it was fast. I was glad that he didn’t find our eating habits all too strange. He assured us that his family also didn’t take the whole eating-in-front-of-dates thing too seriously, and that he would help get rid of the food if we all agreed to eat like slobs, too. We all laughed and agreed to that. But as we ate, I couldn’t take my eyes off of Trunks. I just…couldn’t. My heart ached, I wanted to tell him now, but…with Bra and Taylor there…I couldn’t. Why now? I asked myself. Why all of a sudden? I shrugged it off as one of those weird urges that I sometimes got. The kind of thing that just screamed at me to act now. That was probably it. “Pan?” Bra hissed, kicking me from under the table. I snapped back to attention, turning to stare at the half-Saiyan who refused to admit she was a half-Saiyan. “What?” I asked dumbly. “You’re staring at him again,” she whispered. “So?” “You like him.” “So?” “You’re screwing up the plan.” I sighed. “I can’t help it,” I admitted. “He’s so…perfect. I just can’t imagine—” “That’s why you’re an easy target,” she said quietly. “He’s using his charm against you. You’d better watch it.” “But Bra, I—” “I knew it!” she shouted, too loudly. Taylor and Trunks, who up until this point had been absorbed in eating, turned to stare. Bra instantly hushed herself and just glared at me, resuming her meal. I, too, stared daggers at her. If looks could kill, she would have been dead a thousand times over. The guys just looked uneasy and returned to eating. Bra, if you screw this up for me, I’ll kill you, I mentally threatened. I knew she couldn’t hear me, but the glare in my eye was enough to clue her in. She gave me a slight nod, as a promise that nothing like that would happen again. But how trustworthy was Bra? Really. I guess I’ll see tonight. |