Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ When There Are Two of Me ❯ Part 2 ( Chapter 2 )

 

 

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ. I'm not making any money.

Warnings: Yaoi (male x male). Trunks x Goten.

 

Note: age: Goten 18; Trunks 19.

 

When There Are Two of Me

 

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com), beta-read by Redmarshin

 

Part 2

 

Trunks' blue eyes followed Gohan's back until he closed the door behind him. Then he threw the core of the apple he had eaten into the bin.

 

“So, will you pass some books to me?” he asked Goten.

 

Goten stood up from his chair and went to the first bag. “Here.” He held out the first book he saw.

 

“Hmm…” Trunks looked at a diagram in the middle of the book. He turned the book over then turned it over again. “What the hell is this? Looks like a snake that has just mopped a mouse…”

 

Goten paled visibly.

 

“Kidding,” Trunks laughed. He turned the book back. “I think I remember the stuff. Or at least know what it is about…” He turned the leaves further. “Ah, now that's pretty interesting…” His eyes quickly scanned the page. He turned the page over. “I thought Rabikov proved it wasn't possible…” he muttered while reading further. “Hey, what an asshole. The data is all wrong…” he snorted at the page after reading it. “Oh…” Trunks blinked. He turned to Goten who was closely watching him. “I suppose I do remember the stuff.”

 

Goten exhaled in relief. “Good, then.”

 

Trunks quickly leafed over the book. “I just need a short revision.” He put the book back onto the covers. “But that guy needs a serious ass kicking for writing that nonsense.” He looked at the book again. “I suppose this means that I'd be able to help you out with your stuff…”

 

“I don't actually imagine how you'd do that…” Goten sighed. “I need to read the books first…”

 

“Well, we could share them in half. I could read one half and then simply tell what you need to know. I think that's much easier…”

 

“Listen, forget that. If you feel well enough to learn then think about how you are going to write three graduation dissertations…”

 

“Oh.” Trunks blinked. “Forgot that one. I think you said I have several months left?”

 

“You have one month to hand them in and then one month of bureaucracy.”

 

“Ah…nice…” Trunks scratched his chin. “Then I suppose I should get started.” He thought for a moment. “But I don't really remember what I was supposed to write about…”

 

“That's easy to check. I'll just ask your leading professors…”

 

Trunks watched him for some time. “And how do you yourself do in that department…?”

 

“I'll just have several exams to pass.”

 

“Are you sure you're going to pass them?”

 

“No. Very likely I'll screw up. I skipped many lectures. In both semesters and the students don't really know me, so I won't get any notebooks…”

 

“Then why don't you follow your own advice and ask your brother to help you?”

 

Goten didn't say anything to that.

 

“It seemed your brother and you are close enough for you to be able to ask such a favor…”

 

Goten kept silent.

 

“Okay,” Trunks sighed. “What do you think, will my mother agree to bring a PC here? The faster I write that stuff, the faster I can help you…”

 

“Why the hell did you turn so nice suddenly?” Goten snorted, angered. “I don't need your damn help!”

 

Trunks looked at him. “Well, currently you're the only person I find interesting and pleasant to interact with. I suppose it's only natural that I want to help you…” he said calmly.

 

“You and your fucking logic!” Goten suddenly jumped off the chair, hissing. “How I fucking hate that!”

 

“It's a part of me. You yourself said that.”

 

Goten gazed at Trunks for some time silently. “Yeah, what a fucking pity…” He walked over to the door. “Have a nice evening!” He slammed it shut behind him.

 

Trunks sighed, took the book back in his hands, reached out for a switch to turn the light on and continued reading the book. He was positive that Goten would be back tomorrow.

 

XXXXX

 

The day was beautiful outside. The sun was shining, the grass that had just recently started growing was brightly green. Closing his eyes, he tilted his face to the warming light; his ward was in the dark side of the building so he didn't get much sun.

 

He was glad he decided to look around in the hospital. It was the first time he went farther than the bathroom but it didn't seem that he would have any problems with his legs or body overall. That really bugged him, for it wasn't logical at all.

 

The hospital wasn't big. It seemed it was a private one, for he had seen only several persons and they were dressed pretty well. He too had a pretty expensive robe on. Though, he hated the slippers - they were black.

 

While looking at his reflection on the window he thought about cutting his hair shorter; they must have grown that long in those two months he was in coma. He was handsome. He had regular features, quite full lips and nice blue eyes. He had the looks of his father, except his blue eyes. The only thing he didn't like was his hair-color.

 

“Trunks?”

 

Trunks turned around to look at an annoyed Gohan.

 

“Next time tell someone that you're going for a walk, okay? I don't care if you're roaming around in the hospital, but Bulma almost had a heart attack after not finding you in your ward.”

 

Trunks cocked his head to his left shoulder. “Why is she worried?” he wondered. “Does that woman have one of those weird “my-baby-son” complexes?”

 

“I'd slap you right now,” Gohan snorted. “But I know that this is a waste of time. She has been sitting at your side for those two months while you were in coma, and you dare ask why she is worried?!”

 

“Hey, I'm sure you are right.” Trunks turned back to the window and to his reflection he had been looking at. “But it was just a simple question. You do understand that I know nothing of the people who surround me…”

 

“For you it's always simple questions or simple remarks. You never think of how they affect others.”

 

“So you want me to keep silent or lie?”

 

“Yes, like all humans do.”

 

Trunks turned around, smirking. “And you do know a lot about that, don't you…? Trying to adapt all the time…”

 

Gohan stepped back in surprise. Trunks followed him.

 

“You strike me as an overly scared person…” Trunks grinned. “Those disgusting-masking clothes and stuff… What are you hiding, Goten's brother? Would it be that “Saiyan-thing” everybody hides from me?”

 

By this time Gohan had turned pale.

 

Surprised, suddenly Trunks stepped away from Gohan. He knew he had hit the right button, but after seeing Gohan's reaction it hardly gave any satisfaction. “It seems I went too far. I'm sorry,” he apologized. He turned around and started walking back to the side he knew his ward was. Gohan didn't follow him. And that meant he had really gotten under Gohan's skin.

 

Trunks shook his head, sighing.

 

XXXXX

 

Trunks raised his head at a knock on his door. After several seconds Goten's spiky head appeared in the doorway.

 

Trunks smiled. “Hey, I have been waiting for you.”

 

Goten mumbled something for greeting. He approached the bed and held out a small note for Trunks who was sitting in the bed with his legs crossed, white sweatpants sticking out from behind the robe. Trunks had asked for something more decent than a robe to wear but his requests had been ignored. Then he stole the sweatpants from the staff-room.

 

“Ah.” Trunks smiled again after reading what was written on it. “The themes… Thanks.” He took the paper from Goten.

 

Goten noticed a black laptop on Trunks lap. Trunks eyes followed his.

 

“Oh, my mother brought it. It seems it was mine. I found the themes and everything here. It appears I already have one graduation dissertation done. The themes are very interesting… I suppose I was kind of a guy who liked doing things in advance…”

 

“Hm.” Goten went to sit on the chair at the window. “You truly were…” He leaned his elbows on a small table next to him.

 

“But thanks for your efforts anyway.” Trunks waved the paper in the air.

 

Goten's searching gaze passed Trunks.

 

“I'm not making fun of you,” Trunks said. “I have already had some weird happening with your brother… I think I scared him…”

 

“And what have I been telling to you…?” Goten rolled his eyes. “That's why people run away from you… Think first then talk.”

 

“Your brother said the same…” Trunks wondered. “Hey,” he grinned, “I'll really be able to help with your stuff. I have one done and while waiting for you I have read several books and thought of what I'll be writing.”

 

Goten crossed his arms.

 

Trunks frowned. “What now? Don't tell me you have always been jealous because of his abilities…”

 

Goten looked at him in shock. It was the first time Trunks called his other self another person. Actually it had never occurred to him that they were completely different persons. Trunks had always been Trunks… And even if now he didn't remember anything, he still was Trunks… Used to be…

 

“Ehh…” Goten drawled, trying to reorient himself in a new situation he himself found in. “Not really… It just pissed me off that he always had been looking at me like at some lost puppy…” He leaned his heavy head on his palms.

 

Trunks gave him a searching look. “Poor stupid Goten… Let's all help him to organize his life…”

 

Goten startled. He raised his head at Trunks. “Yeah, and I especially hated when he did that… Sometimes it seems you can read minds…”

 

“Maybe I can?” Trunks grinned. He had decided that it was enough for today - Goten seemed to need some time to get used to the situation. He wondered shortly then - so why did people think that he was inconsiderate towards others?

 

Goten rolled his eyes. “If he could, he would have killed me at least five times for the thoughts I had about…” he suddenly silenced, catching himself. “Eh, ehm…” He blushed fiercely.

 

Trunks only laughed. “So, will you let me help you?” he asked then.

 

Goten watched him for some time then nodded slowly. He wasn't even sure why he did that. His chin had probably slipped on his sweaty palm. What was he getting himself into? He didn't even know this guy he was talking to… And it was only worse that he was so similar to the Trunks he used to know… Trunks' personality had never been easy to handle. This one might be simply laughing and calling him an idiot behind those sincere blue eyes. Sometimes something used to whirr in Trunks' head and he would get bored with his logical thinking and then he would look for amusement at others expense.

 

Though, Trunks had never really tricked or played him; even after they unpleasantly drifted apart Trunks seemed to remember that they had been best friends once.

 

“Have a pen?”

 

Goten snapped out from his thoughts. “Uh… Yeah.” He nodded, reaching into his pocket. He held out the pen for Trunks. He watched Trunks scribble something on the paper.

 

“Ah dammit!” Trunks cursed after the pen snapped in two. “The fourth pen already this day! What the hell is wrong with them?! Ah! Dammit! Dammit!” he shrieked after black ink spilled on his white sweatpants. “How will I return them now?!” he yelled, keeping the broken pen out of him and over the floor. “Ah! And I broke your pen!” he added as an afterthought. “Dammit!”

 

Goten watched Trunks who was flouncing about in the bed between the white covers that now were dotted with black. He cracked a smile. “I have never seen you get so excited over something so stupid…”

 

“I fucking stole these sweatpants,” Trunks whispered. “The whole day I was so carefully trying not to mess them up and now I have ink all over my crotch. How exciting is that?”

 

Goten burst out laughing. “Give me that.” Laughing, he reached for the pen. “I will throw it away.”

 

“Doesn't matter, it got all dirty anyway. No need to get you into my misery.” Trunks scowled, getting up from the bed. Keeping the broken pen a meter away from him, he carried it to the bin, threw it away then went to the sink to wash his hands.

 

“Ah! My fucking God!”

 

With the entire chair, Goten whirled around to look at what had happened.

 

“Ah!” Trunks panicked while a stream of water was flowing on him. “And I broke the fucking tap!” he screamed at the tap in his palm. “Ah!” He tossed the tap to the ground and tried to cover the hole with his hands then ran to the bed to grab one of the covers. “Get someone! I don't know how to fix taps!” He covered the spray with the cover to stop it from spraying up and to get water flowing down the drain. “Ah! Dammit! There's too much water! It will flow over! Get someone!” He turned around to look at Goten who hadn't moved from the place. “Why are you still sitting there?! Get someone!”

 

From his safe place Goten grinned widely at drenched Trunks who was trying to stop the water. Trunks' hair was all wet, clinging to Trunks forehead and neck while he was flouncing around the sink.

 

“Have never seen anything so hilarious…” Goten started laughing his head off. “You look like a…like a… But this is…hahahahaha!”

 

Trunks blinked at Goten. Then he looked around. The next second Goten yelped and jumped out of his chair. Trunks grinned and waved an again filled mug at him. “Haven't you ever been told that it's not nice to laugh at other people's misfortune…?”

 

“Aiiiii!” Goten ran to avoid the oncoming stream. Trunks missed but immediately filled his mug in the overflowing sink again.

 

“Help! Help! Someone!” Goten was laughing his head off while Trunks was chasing him all over the ward. “Shit!” he cursed as he slipped on the wet floor and landed on his backside. Immediately, the mug was emptied on his head. “Hey!” He tried to take the mug away from smirking Trunks. “Ahh!” He leapt over Trunks' bed to avoid the oncoming stream.

 

“Hey, stop! Dammit! I've spilled it all over my bed! How will I sleep now?!”

 

“Your own fault!” Goten laughed.

 

Trunks ran back to the sink to refill his mug.

 

XXXXX

 

When Gohan entered the ward, his first thought was that he must be hallucinating. He had worked pretty hard and long in these several days, so he decided that that must be it - he was having visions. There could be no way that Goten and Trunks were sitting in a puddle of water all soaking wet, laughing their heads off while the water from the broken sink was spraying everywhere.

 

Goten. He hadn't heard Goten laughing like this since Goten was a kid. After that fall out with Trunks Goten hardly smiled at all. He couldn't believe that the same person that took Goten's smiles away was making him laugh like this…

 

“Oh, your brother…” Trunks laughed after he noticed Gohan who was still standing in the doorway.

 

Goten couldn't stop laughing either. “Uh-huh…hahahahaha…”

 

“What the hell happened here?” Gohan glared at the two.

 

“Hahahaha… He broke the tap! Just snapped it off! Hahahaha…” Goten roared with laughter. “I think you'll have some…hahahaha…some explanation to do…hahahaha,” he laughed. “And my pen, too!”

 

Gohan gazed at his hardly coherent brother then his eyes crossed with Trunks' who was no longer laughing but was watching him in return. There was a lopsided smile on Trunks' face. It wasn't a smirk, it was a smile, but there was something…

 

“Did you break into the storage room and got some laughing-gas?” Gohan asked Trunks while glaring. Though, he knew it wasn't the case. He just didn't like that smile on Trunks' face.

 

After his question Trunks' smile widened. “You'd like that, wouldn't you, Goten's brother…?” His blue eyes looked into the dark ones.

 

Gohan felt his breathing hitch. “My name is Gohan,” he said then.

 

Trunks' smile just widened even more. “I know that. The thing I don't know is why I broke the tap that is made from the finest steel… I think you could help me out here…”

 

Goten's laughter had quieted by this time. Confused, his eyes wandered from Trunks to Gohan and then back. He was almost able to grasp the tension.

 

Trunks abruptly stood up. “I'll get someone to finally fix this.”

 

Gohan caught himself before he could have jumped away from Trunks. “The plumber is on the ground floor, take the corridor to your right after you climb down the stairs…” he muttered.

 

“Okay.” Trunks nodded while passing Gohan. “I'll be back soon,” he smiled.

 

Gohan watched Trunks close the door then turned to Goten. “What the hell have you two been doing here?”

 

“I said - he broke the tap…” Goten shrugged. He finally got up from the floor. “Hell… Look at me…” he brushed over his wet clothes, “how will I come back?” But he grinned then. Before Gohan could have reacted, Goten flared to Super Saiyan.

 

“What the hell are you doing?!” Gohan's eyes widened. “The least we need is for others to think you got attacked and to show up!”

 

Goten shrugged. “They won't. After checking my ki they will find that yours is nearby and stays low.” He ruffled through his blond hair. “And when are you going to tell him about all that Saiyan stuff? I think there's more damage by not telling than telling… He is getting confused and suspicious…”

 

“Confused…” Gohan felt the urge to snicker. “He's not getting confused. I suspect he already knows some of the things or will notice them soon... It's true that he might accidentally do something while miscalculating his power… But I think it were more dangerous if he knew what power he possesses…”

 

“Dangerous?” Goten gave him a questioning look. “What do you mean?”

 

Gohan was silent for several seconds. “He always was a bit weird, but… Something's funny about him… I'm not very sure what but…” He faltered.

 

“Ah, leave him alone. I wonder how you'd feel after waking up hell knows where and having no idea of who you are…” Suddenly Goten chuckled, “But Bulma is underestimating him... Several days more and he'll know all about who he's for real. She doesn't really know much about him, but believe me - he gets a hang of things incredibly fast. She won't catch up with him. If Bulma thinks she can keep him in this ward until her dearest Trunks is back, she's very wrong… Trunks has never been a person one could play with…”

 

Gohan didn't say anything to that; he perfectly knew that it was true, anyway. He looked at the spraying sink where the water started lessening then stopped spraying at all; someone shut the water off. “You sure flooded the ward underneath…”

 

Already dry, Goten powered down. “You must have seen how he had been flouncing about that sink…” He grinned. “I have never seen him so excited…”

 

From the corner of his eye, Gohan watched his younger brother. He didn't think it was a very good idea for Goten to spend so much time with Trunks. “He's not the Trunks you knew…” he said carefully.

 

Goten looked at him. “I'm not sure which one I like better…” he said softly.

 

Gohan almost groaned. He had to stop Goten from seeing Trunks; he had to stop that until it was not too late.

 

They both turned around after Trunks had entered the ward. A man dressed in bright blue pushed past Trunks and went to the sink. The man got confused after seeing the tap on the floor.

 

“It must have been completely rusted…” Trunks said from above the man who had squatted down to observe the tap that looked like it would have simply been ripped off. There were deep fingerprints on the steel…

 

“I don't think so…” The plumber turned the tap over in his hands several times.

 

Trunks smiled. “Neither do I…” He looked at Gohan. “But this is the only one logical explanation, isn't it?” he said while undressing his wet robe. He tossed it on the same chair at the window.

 

The brothers chose to remain silent.

 

Bare-chested Trunks suddenly lost all interest in the tap and the brothers. “Oh,” he grinned happily. “At least I got the ink washed out!” he said after looking at his white but still wet pants. “It means it was very lame ink…”

 

Gohan looked at the pants closely. “I have already seen them somewhere before…”

 

“Yes, you have,” Trunks nodded. “I stole them from one of your colleagues… But if you don't want that I'd be running around naked in the hospital, you should get me some dry clothes…”

 

Gohan realized that Trunks was pretty serious. “Okay,” he sighed. He turned to the door.

 

After Gohan left, Trunks observed Goten. Goten was completely dry. That bothered him, for that wasn't logical at all. But, because it was Goten, he didn't ask anything.

 

Trunks sat down on the floor and motioned for Goten to sit down on the chair. “Toss it somewhere,” he said after seeing his soaked robe in Goten's hand.

 

Goten hung up the robe on the windowsill and sat down. Silently they watched the working plumber.

 

“What do you think…? Is my mother very upset that I'm not that Trunks she used to see?” Trunks asked.

 

Goten was taken a back a bit by the sudden question. “Uhh… Dunno… Yeah…” He finally nodded. “I think she will try everything to bring him back…”

 

“Are we so different?” Trunks wondered. “Actually I think that your reaction to me is quite normal… I would even say that you don't see a big difference… I mean you didn't freak out after realizing I don't remember a thing…”

 

Goten was silent for some time. “You see, the thing is that your mom doesn't really… You acted a bit different with her… You talked much and smiled a lot while with her… That was all pretended and now she feels distanced when you don't give her as much attention as you used to give…”

 

“Why would I pretend I like to be near her if I don't?” Trunks wondered. But he had already noticed that for some reason he couldn't refuse or say anything to Bulma's face that he felt she wouldn't like.

 

“Maybe because she's your mother..?” Goten rolled his eyes. “You were quite closed and cold, but when it came down to such things, you did your best not to upset people that loved and took care of you…”

 

“You do know many things about him…” Trunks looked at Goten.

 

“We spent our entire childhood together. We have been best buddies for a long time…” Goten said. “Together we went through hell and back…” He fell silent then.

 

“You kissed him…” Trunks said softly after a pause.

 

Goten flushed all scarlet. He threw a glare at Trunks. “How was I supposed to know that you are like a damn Sleeping Beauty?!”

 

Trunks laughed loudly. “But it was nice to wake up to that.” He winked at a stunned Goten. “Even if I didn't get what was going on at first… Oh, your brother,” Trunks quickly stood up and went to Gohan who just entered the ward with a bundle of clothes in his arms.

 

“Well, it's everything I have managed to find…” Gohan held out the clothes for Trunks.

 

“Thanks.” Trunks nodded, taking the bundle. He went to the bed to ransack it. “I suppose you wanted something,” he said to Gohan.

 

“Ah, yeah,” Gohan nodded. “I need another blood sample.”

 

“What the hell are you doing with my blood?” Trunks raised a blue shirt in the air to look at it. “It's only the third day now I'm up and it would already make about half of a liter… Besides, how do you expect to see any changes so fast?”

 

Gohan watched Trunks looking through the clothes and suddenly realized that Trunks had just plainly refused to give any blood. A bit flustered, he looked at Goten who just shrugged.

 

“I need some answers.” Trunks turned to Gohan. “I don't think it's very fair that you know everything, and I know nothing…”

 

“Your mother…”

 

Trunks' blue eyes flashed dangerously. “Don't try manipulating me, Goten's brother… I do know I might be hurting her, but there's a line between being nice and being a fool…”

 

XXXXX

 

Trunks was leaning on the windowsill in his ward and looking out of the window. He was watching Goten pass through the gates that led out of the hospital. Trunks was smiling.

 

The idea of trying out his strength on the tap was a damn good one - even if he didn't expect he'd manage to really break it, in the end he made Goten like him and finally got normal clothes and with that he would finally be able to leave the hospital.

 

TBC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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