Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ When There Are Two of Me ❯ Part 3 ( Chapter 3 )

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

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

Summary: This fic is completely independent of my other fics. GT doesn't exist.

 

Note: age: Goten 18; Trunks 19.

 

When There Are Two of Me

 

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

 

Part 3

 

Goten knocked on Trunks' door. After Trunks' cheerful voice let him enter, he opened the room's door.

 

“Hey, I brought some edible stuff for…” Goten's eyes widened. The bag he was carrying fell to the ground. He stared at Trunks for several seconds. “What the hell did you do to your hair…?”

 

“Looks much better, don't you think so?” Trunks whirled around while grinning happily.

 

“It's black.”

 

“Yeah, I know,” Trunks grinned. “I like it.”

 

Goten scratched his spiky head. “Well…it seems quite nice…I suppose…” He leaned down to pick up the bag from the floor. “Have your parents seen that yet?” he carried it to the table and started taking the goods out.

 

“Nah,” Trunks chuckled.

 

“I think that hit messed your head up more than we thought…” Goten sighed while putting a bag with apples on the table. “You have never complained about your hair earlier…” He put several packs of yoghurt on the table next to the apples.

 

“Hey, gimme a break,” Trunks brushed over his hair with his both hands. “It's only natural that a person born with such hair gets used to it, but I just saw it. And I didn't like it.”

 

Goten stopped what he was doing and took in Trunks once again. “Hmm… You remind me of Seventeen now. Yeah, quite the picture,” Goten nodded. “I always thought that if you dyed your hair black, you'd look like your father, but it seems for some reason you look more like Seventeen…” He folded the empty bag and put it back into his pocket that all puffed out.

 

“What's that Seventeen?” Trunks asked, plopping on the bed.

 

“An andr… An acquaintance of ours.”

 

“Andr…andr…” Trunks drawled. Then he snapped his fingers. “An android, isn't it?” He laughed at Goten's surprised face. “I know who he is. I have found several very interesting files in my laptop… I don't know what he looks like but I have a whole list of his abilities…” His face got serious. “Don't you think he and his sister are too dangerous to simply let them walk around?”

 

Goten shrugged. “They have lived among us for quite some time now, and nothing has happened. Besides, Eighteen is Krillin's wife and the mother of his daughter. Try telling him that his wife should be locked up for good…”

 

“Well, that's interesting,” Trunks' eyes sparkled enthusiastically. “They even are fertile…” He shook his head. “I'm not saying to lock them up. But I wouldn't like to die after meeting one of them…”

 

Goten watched Trunks for some time. “Drop it, Trunks. I know you well enough to tell when you're playing games… First you pretend not to know who I'm talking about and then you try to get me talking…”

 

Trunks pouted. He reached for a mug with his tea. “But I'm so curious…” He took the teaspoon out of it. “I don't think anyone could do this…” He bent over the spoon several times. “Or that…” He pressed the spoon between his palms and rolled it between then to make a small ball. Then he put the ball on the table, against Goten's nose. “I know you can do that, too. And your brother and my father… The ones who smell different… They aren't Human, are they?” He looked at Goten.

 

“Yeah… You always had a good nose…” Goten nodded. He sighed while looking at Trunks' black hair, “Where the hell did you get the dye from?”

 

Forgetting all about the conversation, Trunks grinned. “I went shopping. Here,” he jumped off the bed, turned around and pulled the bed off the wall, “look.”

 

Goten approached the bed and looked behind it. Several packs of hair-dye, jeans, T-shirts, a jacket, several porn magazines and a pair of shoes. Goten blinked; the porn was both guys and girls.

 

“Who gave you the money for this?” Goten asked.

 

“My grandma.” Trunks grinned while pushing the bed back into its place. “She told me to buy some ice-cream for myself. I bought some for you, though.” Suddenly, Trunks held out a pack of ice-cream for Goten.

 

Goten chuckled. “Thanks.” He took the box. He looked around. “But it seems you mutilated the only spoon you had…”

 

“Ummm…” Trunks brushed over his black hair. “How inconsiderate of me…” He grinned.

 

Goten's right brow lifted at that mischievous grin. Had Trunks been expecting him to eat it with his fingers…?

 

Suddenly, Trunks burst out laughing. “No, but you should see your face!” He quickly stood up from the bed. “Wait, I'll get a spoon.” He shot through the door, leaving a dumbfounded Goten.

 

After the door closed behind Trunks' back, Goten puzzled his head over what the hell it was, then decided not to bother and went to sit down at the table. Once seated, he observed the plastic box of vanilla ice-cream. It wasn't his favorite. His favorite was caramel, but he supposed that Trunks couldn't remember that. But vanilla ice-cream was his second favorite, so it wasn't bad.

 

Goten looked through the window at the gates that led out of the hospital. Trunks wasn't going to sit in this ward anymore. Trunks had a tendency to get bored easily. As far as he could see, Trunks was on the brink of leaving the hospital. He doubted that any of the staff or even Bulma knew that Trunks had been roaming in the city…

 

Goten leaned his head on his palms and groaned, “How does one deal with an amnesiac that doesn't know his own strength and is a genius to boot?”

 

“Talking about me?” Trunks stuck his dark-haired head into the ward, grinning. He closed the door behind him.

 

Goten startled. “Y-yeah…” he muttered since it was no use denying it.

 

“Got the spoons!” Not concerned in the least, Trunks raised two spoons proudly in the air. He held out one to Goten. “I hope you'll like it. I don't really know what you like, so took the one I liked the most after tasting…”

 

“You tasted them all…?” Goten wondered while opening the plastic box.

 

“Uh-huh,” Trunks nodded. “I found a shop where they were selling ice-cups and bough several of them. For some reason I don't remember anything about what the food tastes like…” He plopped on the end of the bed, near the table and chair where Goten was sitting.

 

“Well, vanilla was always your favorite,” Goten chuckled softly, putting the open box on the table. “So you really went to buy ice-cream like your grandmother told you?” he laughed.

 

“Yeah,” Trunks nodded. “I could remember the food but couldn't remember the taste and got very curious…” He looked at the box. “Well, it's a bit melted, but I hope you don't mind…”

 

Goten shook his head. “Nah, it's okay. I like it this way.” He scooped some ice-cream with his spoon.

 

“Goten?”

 

“Umm?” Goten asked around the spoon.

 

“I wanted to thank you…” Trunks said while looking at him. “You have done so much for me… You got me the themes, you always bring me some food and I like your company very much.”

 

“Hmm…” Goten took another scoop. “Well, this is what friends do for each other…”

 

Trunks was silent for some time then took another spoon and scooped some ice-cream, too. “I'm sorry he was such a fucked up friend…”

 

Goten swallowed around his spoon. He sighed. “You don't really know anything about what happened between us… You shouldn't talk what you know nothing about…”

 

Trunks nodded. “That's true… But I know what I see - he hurt you.”

 

Goten's tongue flicked over the spoon, savoring the taste. “That's between us. You have nothing to do with that…”

 

Trunks didn't answer anything to that. He spooned some ice-cream silently. “And what is your favorite, then?”

 

At first Goten didn't understand what Trunks was talking about. “Ah,” he chuckled. “Caramel.”

 

“Umm…” Trunks thought a moment. “Yeah, I liked it, too…”

 

XXXXX

 

“Trunks?” Gohan stuck his head into the ward. “There's someone wanting to see you,” he said after Trunks raised his head at him from his laptop. “Jesus fucking Christ!” Gohan gasped. “What did you do to your hair?! Bulma will kill me!”

 

“Goten's father?” Trunks asked, ignoring him. For quite some time he had been wondering when Goten's father would keep his promise and come to see him. After several comments he heard he was very curious to see what Goten's father was like.

 

“No. It's one of your buddies from University.” Gohan glared at him after recovering. “And my father has a name - Goku!”

 

“I know that. I also know that my father calls him Kakarott,” Trunks nodded, not really paying attention. “A friend?” he wondered. Then he grinned, eager. “Send that friend in.”

 

Trunks observed the guy who entered his ward. He was tall and thin. With hair to his shoulders. Had green small eyes and also had a big smile on his face. The smile felt completely artificial. The man was from 21 to 23 years old. Keeping in mind that they probably were in the same course, the man likely was 22 years old. The guy's scent was mild and there was something off with it, like with the most people's scent he smelt. The guy was staring at his black hair.

 

“Hey.” The guy nodded after he finally managed to peel his eyes off his hair. “Heard you felt better, so decided to visit you.”

 

“Yeah, coma has ended,” Trunks nodded. He motioned for the guy to take the chair.

 

The guy fidgeted. “Umm… I heard you don't really remember anything…” His searching eyes slid over Trunks.

 

Trunks shrugged. “Yeah. So it would be nice to hear your name..?” He smiled at the guy.

 

“Oh, oh…” The guy flustered. “Sorry. I'm Kiore.”

 

So this one was the one he had been waiting for to come. Trunks nodded, “Nice to meet you.”

 

Kiore nodded, unsure. “Well, I just came in case you needed some help or anything…”

 

Trunks smiled. “That's very nice of you. Thanks, but everything is okay.”

 

Kiore started fidgeting with a big golden ring on his finger. He started rolling it around. He obviously wanted to get to the point. “And how about your graduation dissertations? I suppose it's a lost case if you don't remember anything?”

 

Trunks' blue eyes concentrated on him. “What dissertations?” he asked in a confused tone.

 

“The ones you have to write to graduate the University…” Kiore looked at Trunks, seemingly quite worried. “You have to write three of them…and…”

 

A scared expression passed through Trunks' face. “Oh. Uhh… I don't know anything about it… My mom didn't say anything about any dissertations…” wide-eyed, he said to Kiore. Suddenly, Trunks' facial features came back to normal. “Want an apple?” he suggested cheerfully while taking one from the table and taking a good bite of it.

 

Kiore blinked. “Thanks, but no.” He fidgeted for some time with his golden ring while watching black-haired Trunks eating his apple. He very, very obviously wanted to ask him about it. “Why did you dye your hair for?”

 

“I was bored,” Trunks chewed out. The apple was good.

 

“Clear…” Kiore scratched his head, lost. “Anyway, there's one thing that I wanted to ask you…”

 

“Umm?” Trunks took another bite. Ah, finally, the interesting part. He decided to help the guy: “I suppose you're talking about that dissertation about cloning that Trunks wrote for you?” His eyelashes batted at Kiore innocently. “Yes, I have it on my PC. I think you have less than a month to hand it in?” His blue indifferent eyes settled somewhere on Kiore's forehead.

 

Kiore visibly flustered at a sudden change in Trunks' behavior. “Eh. Yeah. I'd want to get it.”

 

Trunks stopped eating. He seemed to think for a second then his attention came back to the apple. “No.” He took another bite.

 

Kiore's eyes widened. “But I paid for it!” he snarled after a moment.

 

“Really?” Trunks swallowed what he had in his mouth. “What was the currency I wonder, for I don't believe Trunks would need money…?”

 

Kiore was clearly faltering. Probably he stopped playing all too soon, but he was curious to no end. What had his other self been doing with this guy? Clearly nothing positive…

 

“You don't remember?” Kiore asked to be sure.

 

“Nope.” Trunks blue eyes smiled at him.

 

Kiore seemed to feel more at ease. “Believe me, you really don't want to know… Let's just…” After hearing the door open, Kiore turned around to look at the door where Goten was standing.

 

“What's that fag doing here?” Kiore was surprised. He looked at Trunks questioningly.

 

Goten's dark eyes flashed at Kiore in anger. Goten seemed to be surprised to see Kiore here, too.

 

Trunks smile turned unpleasant. Suddenly, he didn't want to see Kiore or feel his presence around him anymore. Not even if that revealed why Trunks needed this scum to do something for him. He was a curious person, yes, but there was something above his curiosity.

 

Trunks smiled again. He slowly got up. He threw his arm around Kiore's shoulder and tugged him close to his body. “I think he's doing what a true friend would do - being concerned about his friend,” Trunks purred into Kiore's ear, making the other shudder. “And you, lowlife, are being nosy and just asking for trouble,” Trunks raised his head to smile at Kiore, the smile that made Kiore's knees tremble. “Sweetheart, if I see you again, you'll pray for your life…” He turned away from Kiore and went to the door, where Goten was standing. “It's about time you'd leave…” He opened it.

 

At first Kiore stood like struck by a lightening then his eyes darkened. “You…”

 

Trunks smiled, his sharp canines shortly glistening. “Get the fuck out of here…” he said softly in a low voice.

 

Goten watched Kiore unconsciously step back away from Trunks. As Trunks was standing with his back to him, he couldn't see the expression on Trunks' face, but it must have been something special, for he had never seen Kiore to be afraid of anyone before…

 

Trunks closed the door behind Kiore. “Hey.” He turned to Goten, his eyes, instead of rage, sparkling with interest. “So how was your day?” he asked casually.

 

Goten shrugged. He walked over to the chair and sat down. “What did Kiore want here?”

 

Trunks faltered. He didn't want to tell, but he didn't want to lie either. “He came for the graduation dissertation Trunks had written for him.”

 

“Huh?” Goten blinked. He scratched his spiky head. “Well, they sometimes used to hang out together, but it's strange that Trunks would write anything like this for him…” he wondered.

 

“Yeah…” Trunks nodded. “I'm very curious…” He plopped onto his bed. “Hey, wanna go for a walk? I finished reading the book you gave me yesterday. I could summarize it for you while we'd be walking.”

 

“Uhh…” Goten blinked.

 

“I'd buy some vanilla ice-cream for you.” Trunks grinned.

 

“No, sure I want to go. I'm just surprised you finished it so fast.” He then sighed, “Though, of course, I shouldn't be…”

 

Trunks shrugged. He stood up then pulled the bed away from the wall to take his jeans, shoes and the jacket. “It was quite interesting. It appears I like history…”

 

Goten rolled his eyes. “You like everything. You used to read everything you could find…”

 

“But I don't remember anything…” Trunks pulled his jeans on. “Only some dates that have anything to do with science… I wondered why that is, then decided it must be the time factor. Somehow I remember what I learned while at University but have troubles with earlier information…” He undressed his robe and took the shirt. “But…it's very weird that I can't remember any personal experiences…”

 

Goten pursed his lips in a deep thought. He watched Trunks buttoning the shirt. “You know… To tell the truth, at first I thought that you are pretending…”

 

Trunks put his jacket on. “Any ideas why I would do that?” he asked, brushing over his black hair to smooth it.

 

“Not really,” Goten shook his head. “But sometimes he used to play nasty. I mean really nasty…” Goten frowned. “Most of the time he simply ignored everyone around him, for they weren't in the same “league” as him. But…but sometimes there something…strange happened…” Goten then shook his head, frustrated. “I don't really know much about it, but…sometimes he did weird things…” The he waved his hands against him. “I don't really want to talk about it…”

 

“Did he hurt you?” Trunks' voice was emotionless but his eyes turned dark blue.

 

Goten shook his head in denial. “Although he was always stronger physically and psychologically than me, he had never used that against me. Even after we drifted apart he simply ignored me but never…” He fell silent, wondering why he was telling this all to this Trunks. He looked at Trunks who was ready to go. “Don't you have to tell someone that you are going somewhere?”

 

At first Trunks shook his head in denial then faltered. “Well…unless your brother… The previous time he was quite pissed off…”

 

“Has Bulma seen your hair yet?”

 

Trunks shook his head in denial again. “I think she is avoiding me. It's probably hurting her to see someone else in her “baby's” body…”

 

“I think you should show more concern and understanding…” Goten said while opening the door.

 

“I'm trying to,” Trunks muttered. He went after Goten and closed the door behind them. “But what I'm supposed to do?” He caught up with Goten. “I don't even know her… With you it's easy - you didn't expect me to be hell knows what and she…” he sighed. “I don't actually have anything to talk about with her… I can't talk about our family because I know nothing of it and would just hurt her further. And everything else I try talking or asking about seems to be upsetting her. It's better to leave it like this.”

 

They silently covered the corridor then turned left to the staffroom. Trunks' shoes and Goten's sneakers were loudly crunching on the floor.

 

“And how about Vegeta?” Goten broke the silence.

 

Trunks shrugged in answer. “I saw him several times. I think he's simply accepted the fact. I know that he had cared for Trunks… I'm not sure how but I can tell that. But the thing is that that care…there was something wrong with it…” Trunks stopped against the door that led to the staffroom. “It seems he's relieved that I don't remember a damn thing…” He opened the door and stepped into the staffroom. “The same is with your brother… The two are glad I don't remember a thing… I wonder why…”

 

“And you again…” Goten heard Gohan's groan. “Where the hell are… Oh. Goten?” Gohan looked past Trunks' shoulder at Goten.

 

“Yeah, I just wanted to say that we are going for a walk,” Trunks said. He turned around to go.

 

“Are you Trunks Briefs?” one of the several members of staff that were in the room asked.

 

“It seems so.” Trunks shrugged. He looked at the dark-haired, middle-aged woman questioningly. She smelled of old paper and was wearing a wig.

 

“I'm Lillian Katare.” She extended her hand in greeting. Trunks faltered but shook it. He didn't like how her skin felt against his. The woman was seriously ill. “I'm specializing in the field of amnesia. Your mother contacted me. I was just going to see you.”

 

“Oh.” Trunks smiled apologetically. “I'm very sorry, but I'm quite busy today. I understand that you came all the way to see me, but could we arrange for some other day?”

 

“And what actually are you doing?” Goten pried.

 

“Going for a walk with you, nitwit,” Trunks chuckled, elbowing Goten in the site. He turned back to Lillian. “I hope you aren't insulted, but my mother made the arrangement without my knowledge, and it appears my schedule is full for today. I can't make promises and then withdraw. I'm really sorry but I hope you understand,” he apologized.

 

Lillian nodded. “That's okay. Actually I have another patient in this hospital, so this won't be a problem.”

 

Trunks nodded. “I'm really sorry for that. What day would you like to choose, then?”

 

“Will it be okay tomorrow at eleven o'clock?” Lillian asked.

 

“Yes, it's perfect,” Trunks nodded. “Then we'll see tomorrow at eleven o'clock. Have a nice day,” he smiled before going to the door.

 

“Your mom will kill you…” Goten whispered while following Trunks outside into the corridor.

 

“Yeah,” Trunks agreed. “She'll be very upset…”

 

Goten followed Trunks silently downstairs. “I…” he opened his mouth.

 

“Hey, a promise is a promise,” Trunks nudged him into the shoulder before opening the door to the outside. He grinned. “Besides, I'd always choose your company over some old lady's who'd torture me with questions that I have already been through.”

 

Goten was silent for some time. “Did you give the dissertation to Kiore?” he asked then.

 

Trunks looked at Goten, concerned. “No. Why?”

 

“He'll be back for it,” Goten said.

 

“Sure, he'll be,” Trunks agreed. “And I'd be surprised if he came alone…”

 

“Why didn't you simply give it to him?”

 

Trunks looked at Goten like that would have grown two heads. “You've gotta be kidding me. I want to know what deal Trunks had with him. If I let him go, I'd never know that!”

 

Goten sighed. “True. This interests me, too. But he might cause quite big trouble…”

 

A smirk appeared on Trunks' face. “I'll try keeping it down…”

 

Goten didn't say anything. He studied the unpleasant smile that appeared on Trunks' face then lowered his eyes back to the road. Sometimes Trunks scared him. Both of them.

 

XXXXX

 

Trunks sprawled on a park bench against the warm sun like a cat, sighing contently. Goten walked over to him and sat down close. Deeply inhaling the scents surrounding them, he tilted his head up.

 

“I love spring…” Goten exhaled, looking at the blue sky. He lowered his head again to lick on the vanilla ice-cream Trunks bought him.

 

Trunks' blue eyes slid lazily over Goten's face with closed eyes. They shortly stopped on Goten's pink tongue that flicked out to lick the ice-cream. Trunks' eyes then trailed the outline of Goten's full lips. A corner of Trunks' mouth quirked up.

 

“So, do you remember anything from the first three chapters I have been talking about?” Trunks blue eyes slid back to the trees and field against him.

 

Goten's eyes opened. “Hmm…” He licked on the ice-cream, thoughtful. “Yes, I think I do.” He looked at Trunks. “Though, I have always wondered how so much of information settles in your head already after the first reading…”

 

Trunks shrugged. “There are many types of memory. I have a photographic memory. I have also noticed I always attach sounds, scents and other senses to it. I suppose it makes it easier to remember, too. For example while seeing your brother - even if he's far away - I always remember his scent and his voice timbre…”

 

“Hn…” Goten licked his melting ice-cream again. “I do envy you in some sense - your abilities make life much easier…”

 

“Yeah, it would be fucking well if I finally remembered who the hell I am,” Trunks burst out laughing.

 

Goten couldn't help chuckling either, “True…” He fell silent then and licked at his ice-cream while his face turned thoughtful. “Actually…” he started unsure. “Do you really want to remember?” From his ice-cream he raised his head at Trunks. “Aren't you afraid that after his memories return, you'll be gone?”

 

Trunks leaned his head on the backrest of the bench, his black hair spreading around his face. For some time his blue eyes watched the sky above him. “I thought about this,” he said softly then. “I think it would be the best. After all I am the one that stole his body…”

 

Goten stared at Trunks for several seconds then quickly leaned to catch several running drops of his melting ice-cream. After that he looked at Trunks again. “Do you feel guilty?”

 

Trunks frowned at the cloud that reminded him of a cat. “Yes, I think I do,” he nodded.

 

Thoughtful, Goten finished his ice-cream. “I don't think you should feel guilty,” he said after a while. “It was an accident after all. And maybe your memories and personalities would simply merge… You two aren't so different after all…” he mused.

 

Trunks shrugged. “But in that case it wouldn't be he who'd return. And the person wouldn't be I either. It would be the third one… A new personality…”

 

“Well, you can't do anything about that…” Goten sighed. “It's useless thinking about it…”

 

Trunks raised his head to look at Goten's face. “But you do think… You think about what he'd do if it were him right now instead of me. You want him back. You think what would be if it were him who woke up then in the hospital after you kissed him… And I stole that everything…”

 

Goten turned his head away from Trunks. He scowled at the tree against him. “I'm damn glad it was you who woke up then. He'd have…” he just shook his head, not voicing his thoughts.

 

“But you do love him,” Trunks said. “And when you look at me you see him.”

 

Goten watched the tree then asked: “Was this the reason you dyed your hair black?”

 

“A part of it,” Trunks nodded. “Do-”

 

Goten shook his head, “I don't hate you.” He finally turned back to look at Trunks. “It's… it's complicated, but I'm sad and relieved that he's gone. It sounds selfish, but long time ago a part of me had longed for this self-torture to stop…” he explained after Trunks' questioning eyes looked into his. “He hated me. And I loved him. So stupid,” he rolled his eyes.

 

Several seconds passed while Trunks studied Goten's face. “I think he was a fool to hate the man who loved him,” Trunks declared. He then stood up from the bench. “Want some more ice-cream?” he offered Goten a cheerful smile.

 

Goten shook his head in denial. He stood up too and followed Trunks while that one started reciting chapter 4.

 

TBC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9