Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Dude Looks Like A Lady ❯ Chapter Seventy-Three ( Chapter 73 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Innocence is Futile
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Dude Looks Like A Lady
By Raven Pan and Alison Sky
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Chapter Seventy-Three
December 21, 799 - Friday
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Behind the apartment building was a small yard, and in that small yard was a half saiyajin, and three quarter saiyajins, laughing and playing together as they tried to build a snowman.

Trunks chuckled, running to catch Truten, who'd started toddling off, yet again. He soon returned, plopping her atop the large round ball he'd just made, before going to help Teena and Gotenks with their 'snow hole' they were digging.

"MINE!" Teena shouted, pushing Trunks' hands away.

"Oh is that so?" Trunks chuckled, dumping a handful of snow into her hole.

Teena wrinkled her nose, then pointed at it. "No!"

Trunks chuckled, kissing her nose and pulling the handful out and plopping it in her snowpant'd lap.

Meanwhile Truten was sliding down the large snowball, and was starting trying to make her own.

Gotenks walked over and looked at the snowman carefully. He then squealed and went to tackle-hug it.

Trunks turned around and laughed, only to get a snowball in the face, thrown by his eldest. Truten squealed, "YAY!!!!" before working at making another one.

"Ball!" Teena laughed and threw some loose snow at Trunks as well.

"Come here, you little rascal," he grabbed Teena and tossed her gently into the snow, tickling her as he was pelted by another of Truten's snowballs, the white stuff sticking to his once-again short lavender hair.

Gotenks turned and went to tackled Truten in the snow, kissing her face as he laughed.

Truten laughed, "Goff!" and pushed him down, dropping a handful of snow on his head.

Gotenks whimpered at the coldness on his head and was about to start crying when Goten landed beside them. "PAPA!" Gotenks shouted, and stood and ran over to Goten.

"Papa!!!" Truten squealed, getting up and running to him. "I beat you, Gotenks!" she shouted, running as fast as her little legs would carry her.

Trunks looked up, smiling, "Hey Goten."

"There's room for both of you," Goten stated, picking up Truten and Gotenks. Teena clamped onto Trunks leg and smiled. "Mama..." she said softly.

"Hey Trunks... how was your day off with the monsters?"

Trunks blinked, picking Teena up and bringing her over to where Goten was. "We had fun - hot chocolate, ki-smores, and now snowplay. How was your day?"

"Great. I think I finally found something," Goten smiled. "There's a tech position opening up at Psedu Pharmocidicals... and they really liked my resume."

"That's excellent!" Trunks reached his side and clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"I'll know probably at the end of the month," Goten nodded, kissing his two children on the head, then leaning over to kiss Teena as well.

Trunks held the child up so he could do so, and chuckled. "Well, it's about time to go inside anyway."

"Yeah... I think Gotenks's lips are matching his eyes," Goten laughed, raising his ki a bit to warm the two children in his arms.

Trunks's own ki rose a bit. "Let's get these monsters inside then," he chuckled, heading for the back door to the apartment complex.

"Right behind ya," Goten followed.

Trunks led them up the steps, opening the door to their apartment and plopping down on the floor to help Teena out of her winter things.

Goten put Truten down to let her get herself undressed while he worked Gotenks out of his snowsuit. "Stay still, you little devil," he teased as he tried to control his wiggling son.

Truten sat down, pulling off first one boot then the other, flinging them toward the place they belonged, leaving a trail of wet snow in their wake as she giggled.

"No throwing, Truten," Trunks admonished.

"Sorry Uncle," she threw her gloves at him.

"No throwing, Truten!" Goten said, seeing the gloves flying. Gotenks squeeled when he was free from the suit and took off running across the apartment.

Trunks grabbed the gloves out of the air before they hit him, with a sigh, and put them down, finally getting Teena free, and letting her loose.

Truten was having trouble with her jacket. "Help, Papa!"

Teena took off after her brother, heading for the big bedroom. Gotenks was climbing under Goten's bed already.

Goten reached over and dragged Truten into his arms, working the jacket off. "There you go, cutie."

"Thank you!" she giggled, running off after her siblings.

Trunks was working off his own boots, "Should I be worried that they're in our room?"

"As long as the whips and sex toys are hidden," Goten smirked.

"Sicko," Trunks stood, pulling off his jacket. "I'll go make up some hot cocoa."

"I'm going to wrangle the kids," Goten smield, loosening his tie and taking his shoes off, then following after the kids into the bedroom.

"You do that," Trunks chuckled, heading to the kitchen and getting some milk to heat up.

Goten walked into the room. "Now, where are my three chibis hiding..." he said aloud, looking around the room. Gotenks giggled from under Goten's bed while Teena was hiding behind the hamper, her hands over her mouth.

Truten was hiding in the closet, giggling.

Goten turned to the closet first, opening the door and grabbing his eldest, tickling her. "Found ya!"

Truten squealed, "NO Papa!!!!" she tried to get away, but just laughed too hard.

Goten tossed her into the air, then put her on his shoulders. "Think you can find your brother and sister?"

"Not tellin!!!"

"Then I guess we're going to have to look..." Goten got on his hands and knees....

"NO!!!" Truten squealed, grabbing onto his ears.

"OW!" Goten cried out, reaching up to grab Truten and pull her off him.

Truten let go, and started crying, "I sorry!!!!"

"No, it's ok..." Goten snuggled his daughter, then put her on the floor. "You go find Teena and I'll find Gotenks."

"Okay!" she squeaked, sneaking up to where she heard Teena giggling.

Goten meanwhile peeked under Trunks's bed. "Nope! No Gotenks here!"

"Got you!" Truten squealed, diving behind the hamper to grab her sister.

Teena laughed. "Got you!"

"Cocoa's ready!" Trunks called from the kitchen, making his way back to where everyone seemed to be.
Goten turned and looked under his bed, then grabbed Gotenks. "Found you!" Gotenks squeeled and giggled.

Trunks chuckled, looking in at them all. "So, everyone present and accounted for?" he asked, leaning in the doorway.

Teena ran over and latched onto Trunks's leg. Goten pulled Gotenks out and tossed him into the air. In his hand was a tiny gray felt bag.

Trunks chuckled, picking Teena up and tossing her on his shoulders as Truten giggled and ran out the door for the rest of the house. He looked at what Gotenks had and went over, "What you got there, kiddo?" he asked, reaching out.

Goten looked at the bag. "I don't remember what's in that...."

Trunks wrested the bag from Gotenks's hand. "Hm... what's this, Goten?" he asked, holding it out of the twins collective reach.

"It's a bag," Goten said, moving Gotenks to his hip.

Trunks rolled his eyes, "Duh, what's in it?" He asked, tossing it into the air and catching it, a playful grin on his face.

"I honestly don't remember," Goten held his hand out for it.

Trunks dropped it into Goten's hand, "Let's see, I'm curious."

Goten handed Gotenks to Trunks and went to open the ties on the bag.

Trunks held Gotenks, Teena still on his shoulders, as he peered over Goten's own shoulder.

Goten shook the bag upside-down and into his hand two rings fell... the childlike wedding bands of Goten and Trina. Goten's breath hitched and he closed his hand quickly.

But Trunks saw the small plastic rings. Recognised them for what they were. He closed his eyes a moment, letting out a sigh, and turned with the kids - acting as though Goten had succeeded at hiding them from him. "Who wants hot cocoa- you coming Goten?" he asked as he left the room, false cheer in his voice.

"I'll be there in a moment," Goten said softly, putting the rings back safely in the bag and pulling the strings tightly shut

Trunks brought the kids all to the table, strapping the kids into their highchairs, Truten into her new booster seat, before going to get special sippy mugs for the three of them.

Goten sat on the bed, running his hand through his hair and he worked to control the wave of emotions in his mind. Finally, his own mask back in place, he put the rings into a drawer and went into the kitchen. "We have cookies to go with these?" he asked.

"In the pantry," Trunks affirmed, getting the cooled hot cocoa, now warm cocoa, and giving it to the chibis, before pouring mugs of the hotter stuff for Goten and himself.

Goten pulled down a few cookies and handed them to the chibis and put the rest between him and Trunks, then sipped his mug. "Arigato."

"Do itashimashite," Trunks said, setting down his own mug and pulling up his chair, sipping from it, unable to hide the lost looking frown in his eyes.

Goten just kept his eyes respectfully looking into his mug, his own eyes hiding the longing he felt inside.

"You okay?

"Yeah, I'm fine," Goten looked up, smiling. "You?"

Trunks shrugged. "I'm gonna go out for a bit," He said, taking a sip from his mug and standing. "I'll be home later, okay?"

"Sure," Goten sighed, then took another sip from his mug. "See you later."

"...Yeah," Trunks headed to the door, putting on his shoes and jacket before leaving, carefully shutting the door behind him.

Once he was gone, Goten pushed the cocoa aside and laid his head on the table, thinking, as his ears listened to the twins while they threw the cookiess at each other. When is everything going to finally work out? Is it going to work out...? Please... someone tell me when the pain will stop, and things will go back to the way they should be... he thought to himself.

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Trunks spent the rest of the evening walking the city streets, keeping his ki low, despite the cold... not wanting to be found.

Wanting to think. But... about what?

He was sad, he knew that. Any reminder of his life a few years back, saddened him. How come, every time life seems to be getting normal... something like this happens? he wondered... thrown back into the depression he'd been trying, for his children's sake, to claw himself out of since Marron had rejected him.

He was lonely, that he knew.

So lonely.

Finally, he moved to sit on a bench in a park, on the other side of town. He watched the snow falling into his footsteps, and shivered.

Then yawned.

Snowflakes fell. Beautiful, white, perfect.

He closed his eyes. Just a few moments rest wouldn't hurt before he walked home.

Snow fell, and Trunks didn't stir.

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December 22, 799 - Saturday - 0030 hrs

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Just past midnight, the phone in Trunks and Goten's apartment rang.

Goten jumped awake and scrambled for the portable phone on his nightstand, trying to answer it before the kids woke up. "He... hello?" he mummbled, having been asleep for about an hour already.

"Mr. Goten Son?" a young female voice asked.

"This is he..." Goten rubbed his eyes, sitting up. He looked over at Trunks's bed, seeing it still empty, and sighed. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, seeing as you're his contact in case of emergency... Mr. Briefs is currently in Orange Star Hospital, if you could come at your earliest convenience?"

"Wait... he's where?"

"Orange Star Hospital," the female repeated. "In Sataan City, north side?"

North side? But they lived on the South end, there were hospitals closer than that! "What happened?"

"He was found in the park and brought in, suffering from severe hypothermia - his condition is nearly stable, when he wakes it would be safe for him to go home," she assured him.

Goten sighed. "Yeah, I'll come down... I just need to find a babysitter first. Thanks."

"You're welcome. Goodnight."

Goten hung up the phone and lowered his head, then sighed and grabbed the phone, dialing his parents... his father could get here much faster than Gohan these days.

There was the sound of a fumble, the phone dropping on the floor, before a tired voice answered, "Hello?"

"Dad, it's me..."

"Goten?" he was instantly awake. "What is it, what's wrong?"
"Trunks is in the hospital and I have to go down and make sure he's ok.... can you and Mom come over and watch the kids until I get back?" Goten explained.

"Sure thing, let me wake up your mother and get dressed, and we'll be right over," and he hung up.

Goten yawned and stretched, then went to go find something warm to wear.

About five minutes later, Goku and Chichi appeared in the livingroom, and Goku called quietly into the house, "Son? we're here."

Goten came out of the bedroom, pulling a sweatshirt hoodie on over his shirt. He was already in jeans and sneakers. "Sorry to wake you guys...."

Chichi ran forward and hugged him, "What happened, sweetie?"

"I don't know... the hospital called and said they had Trunks and he had hypothermia," Goten explained.

Chichi tutted, "That foolish boy, going out in this weather. Make sure you put on a warm jacket, and don't forget your gloves, and a muffler...."

"Chi, he'll be fine, let him go and make sure Trunks is okay."

She pouted. "Be careful, you don't need to get sick again...."

"I know Mom... I don't plan on it." He pulled his hoodie over his head and pulled the strings tightly, only his eyes, nose and lips showing. He kissed his mother, then went to the balcony and took off flying, his ki shining around him to keep him warm.

Chichi went to check on the sleeping children, as Goku sat in the kitchen, wondering just how it'd happened.

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As Goten flew over the city, he shook his head, biting his lips. Stupid Idiot... why don't you think about what you're doing anymore, huh Trunks? What's the point of caring about you if you don't care about yourself anymore?!

In hospital, Trunks lay unconscious, a tube running into his mouth to his stomach, introducing warm fluids, as well as an IV doing the same. Warm blankets covered him as they tried to bring his body temperature back to normal - and he slightly shiverred, finally... a sign that he was starting to recover, albiet slowly.

Goten landed outside of the hospital and walked inside to the front desk. "Hi, I was called about my friend, Trunks Briefs...?"

"Briefs... one moment please," the young girl at the receptionist counter flipped through the charts. "Ah, yeah, he's in room seven-twenty three, just take that elevator to the seventh floor, and it's down the hall on your left."

"Arigato," Goten nodded, then went to the elevator. He followed the directions and soon found himself in the hallway outside Trunks's room.

The door was cracked open, the sounds of a heart monitor, beeping ever so slowly, emitting from the room.

Goten pushed the door open slightly, stepping inside. "Trunks?" he called softly.

There was no response from the man, laying pale in the bed as medicine and blanket attempted to bring his body up to a healthy temperature.

Goten sat on the edge of the bed, taking Trunks's hand into his own. "What did you do, Trunks...."

Ten minutes later, a nurse came in to check on Trunks's progress.

Goten looked up, taking a deep breath. "Is his doctor anywhere around?" he asked.

"Dr. Asakura is with another patient right now, but I can let him know you want to speak with him," she said softly, checking the lines and the temperature of the blankets, making sure his skin didn't get burned.

"Thank you..." Goten nodded, turning his attention back to Trunks.

She continued about her work, then silently left the room. A little while later, a young, tall thin doctor appeared in the doorway. "You wished to speak with me, Mr. Son?"

"Yes... I was wondering if you could tell me more about Trunks's condition."

"Certainly," the young doctor came in, pulling up a stool to sit down, taking a quick look at the chart. "He was found a little while ago, asleep on a park bench, suffering from severe hypothermia. A patrolling cop was the one who found him," he glanced down the chart. "He seems to be mostly out of the woods, though it may be a few hours before he's conscious, another hour after that and he should be safe to go home, as long as he stays in bed for the next day, and warm."

"I'll make sure of that," Goten nodded. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Nothing as yet, but when you bring him home, make sure he has warm fluids to drink, soups would be good as well. There isn't much else we can do until he wakes up," he looked over, noting that Trunks was now shivering almost violently, "He should recover alright."

Goten nodded. "Arigato..."

"Do itashimashite," He nodded, standing and going over to check on Trunks before leaving the room.

Goten waited, then went to the door and closed it. He then walked back to the bed, pulling off his hoodie and draping it over the chair. "Let's see if I can help with this warming up any..." Goten said softly, sitting back down on the side of the bed and taking Trunks's hand into his.

It was cold, chill to the touch, no matter how much warmth was pushing into him from the hospitals attempt to make him warm.

Goten closed his eyes, focusing on his ki. I hope this works... he thought as he imagined his ki slowly seeping into Trunks, letting the warmth wrap around his best friend from the inside out.

Slowly, a warm glow focused at Goten's hands, leaking into Trunks's body. After a few minutes, the heartrate on the monitor began to beat a more steady pulse, rather than the faint it had since he'd arrived.

Goten kept going, but moved one hand to rest gently above Trunks's heart.

And the flow continued to warm him. Colour began to return to Trunks's skin, his breathing became less ragged, the shivering less violent.

Goten's eyes fluttered a bit, his body growing a bit cold as he continued to pour his ki into his best friend.

A choked moan emitted from Trunks's throat as he began to regain consciousness.

Goten's eyes fluttered open and he pulled back his ki. Carefully he stood up and went to get his hoodie, himself cold now.

Trunks's shivering had all but disappeared, and slowly he opened his eyes, confused at his surroundings. He made a small questioning sound, unable to turn his head for the tube down his throat.

Goten was close to the door, debating on whether he should leave of not... he did care for his best friend, but wasn't sure anymore if he wanted Trunks to know he cared so much.

Not being able to see if he was alone or not, or to speak, Trunks got a little worried, then more than a little frightened. He could recognise he was in a hospital, but why? What'd happened?

He made another sound, questioning, afraid. Was he alone? He hated hospitals....

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