Welcome to Boxer & Rice

Author's Note : This fic is dedicated to the lovely Bardockgurl, whose humor, wit and just general being makes the DBZ_Yaoi_Lovers Yahoo group such a fun place to be.

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Mirai settled down his time machine in the woods not far from the Son household, and jumped to the ground, eager to find the person that he had come to this time to ask for help. Extending his senses, he located the ki signature, and sprinted in the right direction, mentally patting himself on the back for having landed only a few hundred yards away from who he was looking for.

He slowed his pace, and stepped gracefully through the underbrush, coming up behind the young man who was so deep in his own thoughts, that he didn't realize that he was no longer alone. He stood for a moment, gazing at the young man seated at the edge of a glassy lake. His posture belied his emotional state, knees drawn to his bare chest with his arms folded atop of them, chin resting on his crossed forearms, shoulders slumped. Grass stains on the faded blue denim of his jeans, his purple T-shirt lay crumpled on the ground next to him.

"BOO!" Mirai said in a low voice, his face just inches from the ear of his surprise attack victim.

With a startled shriek, Goten leapt to his feet, assuming a fighting stance. Blinking, he whispered, "Mirai?"

Mirai's grin spread across his face, as he responded, "The one and only!"

Goten drank in the vision of the young man that he hadn't seen in so long, so much like the Trunks of his own time, yet so very different. His hair was past his shoulders, drawn back in a low ponytail. Dark blue denim jeans defined the sleek, athletic legs; a white ribbed tank shirt clung to his upper body, accenting the tanned flesh that was left uncovered. This version of Trunks was slightly older than the Trunks of his own timeline. He did the math in his head, figuring him to be 24 years old.

"What are you doing here?" Goten asked, as he relaxed his posture, and a smile spread across his face. "It's been a long time! A year and a half, at least! What's going on?"

"Not a lot, that's why I'm here, I'm bored. Back in my time, everything is too calm. I needed some excitement." The lavender haired demi-Saiyajin spoke, as he whisked a loose strand of pale hair behind his ear.

He allowed his eyes to sweep over the half-naked form of the younger man in front of him. He had changed a lot since he had last visited this timeline. Gone was the skinny boy that he remembered so fondly, mischief always following in his wake. The person before him showed none of the childish glee that he was so known for, his disposition heavy with sadness.

His disposition wasn't the only change, as his own body was quick to inform him. The awkward teenager that he had been when Mirai last visited had become an incredibly handsome young man. He had always had an athletic build, he was half Saiyajin; it came with the genes. Now, however, the formerly lean body had filled out to rival that of the full blooded Saiyajins. Broad, muscular shoulders tapered downward to narrow waist and hips. Each muscle in his chest, arms and abdomen appeared to have been sculpted from marble, they were so well defined.

"Well, you've come to the wrong time then, nothing's happening here, either." Goten said, bringing Mirai out of his contemplative state, as he sat back down in the spot he was in when Mirai arrived, looking out over the serene lake.

"You looked like you were trying to figure out the answers to all the world's problems when I got here. Is something bothering you?" He said, as he sat down next to Goten.

Goten shook his head, and lowered his eyes to the grass in front of him. "I've just got a lot on my mind."

Mirai looked around. "So where is my other self? Usually when I come back, when I find one of you, the other isn't far away."

Goten's gaze never left the blades of grass, as he shrugged once, and said in a flat voice, "We had a fight."

"Ah. About…?"

A sigh escaped the dark haired demi-Saiyajin. "Never mind. You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

Goten's gaze swept up to meet the sparkling blue eyes that were so much like those of his lover's, but so different at the same time. "Well, you probably don't know this..." He paused, struggling for words.

"Go on. Just tell me, maybe I can help."

He sighed again, before he attempted to speak. "Ok. The Trunks of this time is gay. And so am I. And we're together." His words tumbled out of his mouth in a flurry, as the blood rushed to his face, bringing an attractive flush to his sun-bronzed cheeks.

"And this is supposed to shock me…why?" Mirai said in a matter of fact tone.

Goten's head snapped around, his eyes wide with surprise. "It…DOESN'T shock you?"

Mirai chuckled, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Goten, Goten, Goten. How many times do I have to tell you? I'm him, and he is me!" He made a circular motion with his hand, and raised his eyebrows in the attempt to get Goten to further the thought, and put two and two together.

"You mean…you're gay, too?" Goten said incredulously.

"Yup!" Mirai said with a big grin on his face. "Now, what was it that I wouldn't understand?"

"WOW!" Goten breathed. "I had no idea!"

Trunks chuckled. "Would you have done something about it if you'd known?" he asked, blue eyes sparkling devilishly.

Dark eyes widened, before Goten turned his gaze back down to the grass below him, blushing furiously. "Um…I…uh…" he stammered in embarrassment.

Mirai sensed that he was uncomfortable, so he gracefully changed the subject. "So what's the big fight over?"

Goten silently breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, it probably sounds stupid." He shook his head, thinking back on the argument. "Yeah, it REALLY sounds stupid."

"Let me be the judge of that. Tell me what happened." Mirai said, concern evident in his voice. He put his hand reassuringly on Goten's shoulder, and squeezed gently.

"Well, you know Trunks is my best friend in the world, he always has been, and he always will be. I love him with all my heart. He'd never let me down, as a friend."

"But as a lover?"

"Yeah." Goten said quietly. "We've been together…or I guess I should say we've been fucking," he spat the word out with distaste, "for about two months, now." He took a sideways glance at Mirai, to judge his reaction. Seeing only concern written on his face, he continued. "He always has to be the one on top. Not once has he let me be the dominant. I know that sounds petty, but it really pisses me off. Mr. High and Mighty Prince won't lower himself to let ME take control." He paused for a moment, to take a deep breath. "But what really upsets me is that in this whole time, he's never kissed me. Or let me kiss him, either. He can fuck me raw for days on end, but he can't KISS me?" Goten's shoulders slumped, as he shook his head. "Pathetic, huh? I'm 19 years old, and never been kissed."

"You're not pathetic, Goten." Mirai said as he slid the hand that had been on the darker demi-Saiyajin's shoulder across his back, pulling him into his embrace. "You just want to be loved. There's nothing wrong with that."

Goten wrapped his arms around Mirai's waist, and leaned comfortably against the older man. "Hn. Maybe that's it." He said in a near whisper. "I want him to love me, but I don't think he can. He's a carbon copy of his dad. I mean, I'm pretty sure that his dad loves his mom, but he never shows it, at least not that I've ever seen. Maybe Trunks just doesn't know how to show affection."

Mirai stroked his hands in comforting circles over the warm flesh of Goten's back, reveling in being in such close contact with the boy he had watched grow up over his many trips into this timeline. He was secretly thrilled to find out that Goten liked men, as he had been the star of more than a few of Mirai's erotic dreams over the years.

"Maybe that's it." Mirai said in a low voice. "Since Vegeta died when I was so young, I was everything to Mom. She gave me so much affection that it drove me crazy!" he chuckled, resting his chin on top of Goten's head. "Even though in my time, things were so much harder, with the androids and all, I still never doubted that Mom loved me. Or that Gohan did, for that matter.'

"You know, it's weird how you're technically the same person, but you're still so different from him." Goten said into Mirai's neck. "You look the same, your ki is the same, hell, you even smell exactly like him. But you're so different. He's never hugged me like this before."

Mirai tightened his arms around the younger man. "Well, if you ask me, my other self is a fucking idiot."

Goten squeezed Mirai back, then pulled back without breaking the embrace to look at him. "Really?"

"Really. If he doesn't wake up, and see how damn lucky he is to have you, one day he'll wake up to find that someone else has taken you away from him."

Goten lowered his eyes self-consciously. "Nah. No one else will ever want me. I'm a freak. A homosexual, half-alien freak."

Mirai placed his hand under Goten's chin, raising his head to look him in the eyes. "Well, THIS homosexual, half-alien freak thinks you are pretty damn special." His gaze wandered from the dark eyes before him, down to stare blatantly at the slightly parted, soft pink lips. "Goten?" he whispered, bringing his bright blue eyes back to meet deep black, "May I kiss you?"

Unconsciously, Goten's tongue darted out of his mouth to lick his dry lips, as his gaze seemed to bore into the deep blue of the eyes so close to his own. He tried to speak, but his lips moved silently, as he couldn't find his voice. Finally, he nodded.

A soft smile graced the lips of the lavender haired man, as his head tilted slightly and he lightly touched his lips to those of the young man in his arms. From under deep purple lashes, his blue eyes timidly rose to see the reaction that his kiss had upon Goten, and found the black eyes half-lidded and full of desire. The look in Goten's eyes sparked a fire in Mirai, who had dreamed of kissing him for so many years. He closed his eyes and grunted softly, bringing their mouths together again, tentatively at first. With increasing desire he became bolder, moving his lips in a sensuous rhythm of kissing, nibbling and sucking Goten's sweet lips. His hands drifted from his back, up to cup his face, his fingertips burrowed into the soft black hair at the nape of his neck, thumbs stroking the soft skin of his jaw line, in time with the motions of his mouth.

Goten's low moans became louder, as his own hands slipped up from Mirai's waist, to tangle into the soft lavender hair. He fumbled for the band restricting it, and pulled it free, tossing the band into the grass. He ran his hands though the strands of silk, letting it fall between his fingers, before burying them in the soft mass of lavender, firmly grasping the back of Mirai's head. He pressed his body into that of the older demi-Saiyajin, as his fingers flexed against his scalp, tangling them in the hair and tugging gently.

Mirai broke the kiss breathlessly, pulling back just inches and gazed upon the flushed face before him, whose eyes were still closed. Catching his breath, he tilted his head forward slightly, bringing the tips of their noses together in an affectionate gesture, lightly brushing them against one another. The blissful expression on Goten's face captivated Mirai. He moved in again, darting his tongue out to stroke across Goten's lower lip, then his upper lip, before once again pressing their mouths together.

Goten opened his mouth slightly, letting the tip of his tongue timidly caress Mirai's moist lips. When he felt his tongue come in contact with Mirai's, he gasped at the thrill it sent through his body. Following instinct, he pressed forward, slipping his tongue into the moist depths of Mirai's mouth, moaning as their tongues pirouetted together. An answering moan slipped from Mirai's throat, as he fought his desire to take dominance over Goten. He was thankful that his mind was still coherent enough to tame the urge, knowing how badly his other self had hurt the gentle demi-Saiyajin by not allowing him any control.

Long moments passed as their lips and tongues pressed and swirled together in an erotic rhythm, leaving them both panting for air when they finally separated. Panting, but not willing to let the moment of bliss end, Goten held Mirai's head firmly so that he couldn't draw back; their bodies still pressed together, and began laying sweet, chaste kisses on his parted lips. Mirai opened his eyes, resting his forehead against Goten's. "Are you sure you've never done this before?" he whispered.

"Mm hmm." Goten responded, pulling him back for another deep, passionate kiss. Mirai's hands, which had been stroking and kneading the warm flesh of Goten's back, made their way downward, his fingertips slipping beneath the denim waistband of the loose-fitting jeans, then past the elastic band of his underwear.

Goten responded by straddling Mirai's lap, pressing their bodies more fully together, as he slowly lowered Mirai onto the ground. Stroking hands, writhing bodies, and fiery mouths clashed together, bringing both young men into a furious whirl of desire. At long last, Goten broke the passionate embrace, and opened his eyes to gaze into the pools of blue below him. A gasp escaped him, as his eyes snapped shut and he lowered his forehead to rest on Mirai's shoulder. Mirai could feel Goten's body trembling, and could hear the deep, ragged breaths coming from his lungs.

"Goten?" Mirai questioned in a husky voice.

The only response he received was the slight shaking of the head that was resting on his shoulder, and a choking sound from Goten's throat.

"Goten, it's ok. What's wrong? Please look at me; tell me what's wrong." Mirai pleaded.

"I can't." he breathed. "I can't look at you. You have his face. I don't want to think about him. I'm sorry, Mirai, I just can't do this." He spoke against Mirai's shoulder, his hands clutching at purple hair. "I can't even begin to tell you how much I want to be with you…how bad I want you." He paused, his body trembling. "Dende I want you SO bad" he growled, deep in his chest. "But no matter how different you are inside, you still look like him." He choked back a sob. "I just can't do this."

Mirai exhaled the breath he'd been holding, and lovingly stroked his hands over Goten's bare back. "I can't say I'm not disappointed, but I understand, Goten. You don't have to apologize; I should be the one doing that. I didn't mean to pressure you."

Goten kissed the warm shoulder that his forehead had been resting on, and then nuzzled his face into Mirai's neck, kissing him there as well. "You didn't pressure me. You have nothing to be sorry for. It's me. I hate him so much right now." He hissed the last sentence. "Being with you, now, just makes me realize what an asshole he is. You are so…wonderful …Mirai, but I look at you and I see him."

"It's ok, Goten." Mirai said soothingly, "It's ok."

Goten took a deep breath, calming himself before sitting up and scrambling off of Mirai. The purple haired demi-Saiyajin didn't move from his position; arms spread to his sides, one knee propped up, the other leg straight against the ground, eyes searching the clouds in the hazy summer sky. Goten cleared his throat, causing Mirai's gaze to drift to him. He was still awestruck by the beauty of the younger man. Not only the outer beauty, but the goodness in the demi-Saiyajin's heart, and the purity of his soul. They drew him toward Goten. It was a Son trait, he knew. He'd had an adolescent crush on his friend and teacher, Gohan, in his timeline, and he could see in Goten many of the qualities of his older brother. But the circumstances of his own time made Gohan harder. He was a fighter at heart, even if not by his own choice. But this man in front of him had a gentle soul, a tenderness that Gohan was forced to lose because of the harsh reality in their world. The thought that his other self, in this timeline, could take advantage of that gentleness, and not see how precious Goten truly was sickened him.

Deep in his heart, he hoped that he could change Goten's mind. That he could make him see that he wasn't the Trunks that he knew, and that Goten could, in time, fall in love with him, and forget Trunks. But today wasn't the day to press the issue. Maybe if he went forward with the plans he'd made before even returning today, things would fall into place. Giving himself a nod of determination, he sat up and faced Goten.

"Ok, then. I did have plans aside from seducing you when I came back to this timeline. I wanted your help with something." He said, his voice firm with resolve.

Goten reacted to the tone of voice, finally able to separate his thoughts from those of desire for this man, and the conflict of love and hatred he felt for his look alike. "Ok, what do you need?"

"I want you to help me gather the dragon balls. Like I said, I'm bored, and I want to go on an adventure."

"Well, I'm afraid there won't be much of an adventure there. Dad has them all together at the house, in case they are ever needed in an emergency. What do you want them for?"

"PERFECT! And Mom always said your dad was clueless!" exclaimed Mirai, "Let's go get them, then!"

"But what do you want them for?" Goten questioned again.

"I want to go to Vejiitasei." He said, as he glanced at the surprised expression of his companion. "I want to experience for myself all that Vegeta told me about it when we were in the Room of Spirit and Time, while we were training for the Cell Games."

"Wow! That's cool, Mirai! Can I come with you?" Goten exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, Goten, but this is something I'd really like to do by myself. It's not that I wouldn't love to have your company, but…I don't know, I just think I need to do it alone. It's the best way I can think of to kind of understand my father. The Vegeta of this time has changed so much, and I just want to see where MY father came from."

Crestfallen, Goten said, "That's ok, Mirai, I understand. Let's go home and get them, so you can get going."

"I've just got two wishes, so I won't use the third in case it's needed sometime."

"That's great. Dad'll appreciate that."

The two demi-Saiyajins walked to the Son household, and dug up the dragon balls from their hiding place, deep within the ground in a container that Bulma had designed to keep them from being discovered by radar. Mirai laid them out on the ground in an open clearing, and called forth the dragon.

The immense dragon spiraled into the darkened sky, as Mirai and Goten stood in awe. "Who has called me forth from my slumber?"

"I have. Please grant my wishes." Mirai shouted.

"What is your first wish?"

"I wish to have the appearance of an elite Saiyajin warrior for 48 hours. I wish to have the hair, eyes, and tail of a Saiyajin, as well as the uniform."

"Your wish is granted." Spoke the dragon, as his eyes flashed with an eerie red glow.

A great flash of light surrounded Mirai, lifting him off the ground before engulfing him completely. Goten gasped as he covered his eyes to keep from being blinded by the golden light. When the light dimmed, he uncovered his face, and stood in shocked silence as he beheld the warrior standing where the lavender haired young man had stood before.

Gone were the white tank shirt and blue jeans, and in their place was the uniform of a warrior. Black material stretched over bulging, rock-hard muscles like a second skin. Gleaming white armor covered his chest and abdomen, accented with red and gold, shoulder plates extending several inches beyond the bare, muscular arms below them. White gloves covered clenched fists; white boots were on his feet. Hair that had fallen in soft strands of lavender silk had become stiff spikes of black, reaching the middle of the warrior's back. Sparkling blue eyes had become hard ebony; heavy black brows drawn down into a harsh V hovered over them. A furry sable tail swished through the air behind him.

"M…Mirai?" Goten stuttered, taking a step back. As beautiful as Mirai was before, this man standing before him exuded not only beauty, but power and raw sexuality. Goten's heart pounded furiously in his chest, as he fought to catch the breath that had been stolen from his lungs.

A slow smile spread across the face of the Saiyajin warrior. "So, how do I look?" he asked.

Once again, the breath was knocked from Goten's chest as the realization hit him that all that had changed was Mirai's outward appearance. His voice was the same deep, seductive tone that it had always been, and the smile was genuine…not the snarl or evil smirk that he would have expected from the warrior before him. "Gorgeous!" was all that Goten could manage to say, in a hoarse whisper.

.

Mirai bounced slightly on his toes, unable to hold in his exuberance at the thought that what he'd dreamed about for so long was coming to reality. "Really?" He grinned, as he gracefully glided to stand in front of Goten.

"WOW!" Breathed Goten, as he stared deep into the black eyes that held no resemblance to those he was so familiar with, yet still held within them all that was Mirai.

Mirai took in Goten's rapt expression, watching as his eyes narrowed on him, changing from a look of astonishment to one of pure desire. Abruptly, his hands shot out, one clasping the back of Mirai's neck, the other at the small of his back, as he drew his body roughly against his own. He brought Mirai's head down, registering that he had also gained several inches in height, and brought their mouths together in a fevered clash of lips, teeth and tongues. Minutes passed as their passion ignited, until without warning a booming voice brought them back to reality.

"You are wasting my time! What is your second wish?" Growled the dragon.

They jumped away from each other, both looking up at the dragon with startled expressions.

"Oh, sorry!" Mirai shouted. "I wish to go to the planet Vejiitasei for 24 hours, one month before it was destroyed, and return to this exact place and time when the 24 hours is up."

"Your wish shall be granted. Do you have another wish before you are transported to Vejiitasei?" The dragon boomed.

"No. The third wish can be saved for future use."

"So be it. Farewell."

Once again, a golden burst of light surrounded Mirai. Before it could consume him, he shouted to Goten, "Be right back!"