Trunks’s Serenade, Chapter #13
Summary: Mirai Trunks broke 11 years old Gohan’s heart. Years later he’s back, will he manage to win Gohan’s love again?
Author’s Notes: The credits for the original plot, choice of the songs as well as their perversion goes to Herve and those for the narration goes to Shella.
Chapter Title: The Sound of Bells
We got it together didn’t we?
Nobody but you and me
We got it together baby…
[Three months ago…]
“Gohan…where…?”
“You’ll see.” There was a hint of amusement in Gohan’s voice as he spoke to his lavender-haired love. His fingertips, resting on Mirai’s shoulders, gripped the fabric of his shirt with growing excitement, and more than just a little fear.
Gohan led Mirai down random hallways of Capsule Corporation, an attempt to get his companion lost in his own home. Whether or not Mirai actually knew which part of the large house he was in remained a mystery to him, but he decided not to ask. He breathed quietly through his nose, trying to calm his rapidly beating heart, trying not to think too hard on the events to come.
“Can I at least take this blindfold off?” Mirai asked, fingering the black material covering his eyes.
“Nope. Surprising you is more fun if you don’t know where you’re going.”
“But I can’t see…”
“That’s kind of the point…” Gohan chuckled at the small pout appearing on Mirai’s face. He knew Mirai had never been too partial to surprises, but this particular night required such procedures. “Don’t worry. I won’t let you run into any–”
“Ouch!”
“Woops…sorry about that. Um, I’ll kiss it and make it better later,” Gohan said, grinning.
“I think I deserve a little more than a kiss…”
“Why do I have the feeling that you’re thinking of something kinky right now?”
“Probably because I am.” Mirai smirked and Gohan chuckled again, leaning forward a bit to kiss him lightly on the cheek. Mirai’s smirk became a gentle smile, and he reached his hand up to cover the one on his shoulder.
My first, my last, my everything
And the answer to all my dreams
Gohan guided Mirai around a corner, then into a room, the room he and Mirai shared, and towards the balcony on the other side. The doors to the large platform were already open, and Gohan led Mirai to just before the doorway. He removed the blindfold from Mirai’s eyes and allowed him a moment to take in the scene in front of him.
Mirai opened his cerulean orbs to see a small table set up on the balcony of his room, candles and expensive china arranged strategically around a generous amount of food. The moonlight bounced playfully off the polished silverware. Stunned and slightly confused, he turned around to question the reason behind the dinner.
“Gohan–?”
He stopped, staring at Gohan, who was now down on one knee, holding a small, dark velvet box between his fingers. Gohan opened the box to reveal a simple gold band inside. He swallowed, stifling his apprehension, and spoke.
“Mirai…I…I love you…I love you so much. With all my heart, with all my soul. I could never imagine myself happier with anyone else. I want to be with you for the rest of my life. Will you marry me?”
Tears burned the corners of Mirai’s eyes, and he kneeled down in front of his lover, reaching out a hand to caress his cheek. He swallowed, blinking back the tears. “Of course I’ll marry you.” He pulled his new fiancé towards him, pressing their lips together in a soul-binding kiss.
[End Flashback]
***
Nothing was perfect. It was a fact of nature. No matter how thorough the planning, how cooperative the team, something was bound to go wrong. On an occasion like this, Murphy’s Law dictated that ‘something’ meant ‘everything’.
Mirai decided, as he stalked through the corridors with Gohan’s hand in his, that Murphy could go do something obscene with an inanimate object for all he cared. This was his wedding, and he was damned if it was going to be anything less than everything he could dream of.
And he most certainly had not dreamed the gaggle of reporters who’d besieged Capsule Corp headquarters when it had leaked that the spontaneously-appearing-heir to the world’s most powerful business was getting married – to another man. Neither Bulma nor Dr Briefs could recall there ever having been such a frenzy of media activity (or more specifically, tabloid activity) in the recent history of the company. The public phone line rang incessantly. Rumors sprang up like wildfire in every direction, both unfounded and completely ridiculous. Mail had deluged their official address, ranging from ‘how dare you be so blatant about such an unnatural affair’ (from members of the White Moral Majority) to ‘you can’t be gay, you just can’t be!’ (from various fangirls who seemed to have time shares in a single brain cell) to ‘can I join in? Please? I’ll bring leather…’ (from Yajirobe and Oolong, who thought the whole thing was funny as hell).
Not that the company’s current leaders really minded. Dr Briefs chuckled and reminisced about the innocent, polite manners of yesteryear, while Bulma made a point of devouring the latest absurd rumors and laughing out loud at them. Between them they set up another, unlisted set of contact points, and sent the details to their business associates and friends with a legal injunction to keep them secret.
Of course, Gohan and his family couldn’t escape without catching some attention – the black-eyed Saiyan was, after all, the one marrying into such a newsworthy family. Chi Chi, however, was quick enough on the uptake that she removed their address, phone number, and other details from public records the minute she realized what the media’s reaction was likely to be, and made every single one of her acquaintances swear black and blue not to give their details out to anyone, even their own friends. And since Gohan had long since moved in with Mirai, into their own bungalow out the back, the harassment he received while arriving and leaving wasn’t as frequent as if he still lived with his family and had been doing so more often..
You’re my sun, my moon, my guiding star
My kind of wonderful, that’s what you are
Nonetheless, to be badgered incessantly every time they came within sight of their own home got old really quickly, and nerves and tempers were bound to fray some. Hence the time traveller’s current black scowl.
By the time they reached their room, Mirai had calmed down somewhat. Enough to bitch in a recognizable language, at least.
“My God, those people don’t know the meaning of the word ‘privacy’,” he fumed, in a most uncharacteristic manner. “I swear they wouldn’t recognize discretion if it jumped up and bit them on the arse! It’s bad enough they have to camp outside our house day and night, but did you hear some of the questions they were asking?” Mirai was a bit of an introvert by nature, and it took something pretty extreme to get him this riled at anything that wasn’t an android.
“Mirai,” Gohan attempted.
“You’d have to have half a brain to–” he stopped. “Gohan?”
The darker Saiyan smiled and opened his arms. “Come here,” he said, and enveloped his fiancé in a hug. “Just ignore them,” he said firmly. “They’re only humans, after all – what chance do they really have?”
Mirai couldn’t hold back a chuckle. “You sound like my father,” he said, but then winced.
Gohan sensed his distress and moved quickly to distract him. He kissed the other man on the cheek and murmured in his ear, voice bubbling with amusement, “I thought some of the questions they were asking were funny. Like that one about your mum hiring the waiters for the wedding from Nude Servitude Catering. That one I liked. Gave me a few ideas, in fact.”
The lavender-haired demi snickered. “Yeah, that one was pretty good,” he admitted. He chuckled again at something he recalled. “Or the guy who reckons one of his sources said that Capsule Corp was going to licence and market a range of male sex toys.”
Gohan laughed out loud. “Did he? Seriously? That’s classic!”
“Personally,” a voice interrupted, “I like the one the lady from Women’s Daily threw at me just then, about us three being involved in an unnatural kinky threesome. She used more diplomatic phrases than that, of course, but she meant it that way.”
Mirai snorted. “You would like that one,” he said.
Videl widened her eyes, doing a disarmingly believable impression of an innocent person — well, one that would have been believable had Gohan and Mirai not known her as well as they did.
“Don’t even think about pretending you don’t know what he’s on about,” said Gohan as she opened her mouth to speak.
Videl just grinned at him, before the three of them settled down to chat.
“So what brings you here to this hornet’s nest of reporters, anyway, Videl?” asked Mirai as they sat themselves down on a trio of armchairs.
“Well,” she began, pulling a folder of papers from her handbag, “partly to deliver these reports on the talks between the Capsule Corp and Satan Industries American branches, but mostly to deliver my best wishes to the bride and groom.”
I know there’s only, only one like you
There’s no way they could have made two
“Thanks, Videl,” said Gohan warmly.
Mirai was less gracious. “Bride?” he spluttered, beginning to go red in the face. “Doesn’t anyone ever get over that joke? For the last time, I am not a woman! You know that for a fact, Gohan, so you can just wipe that smirk off your face!”
“But, Mirai,” Gohan protested, as Videl giggled madly and he tried to contain his own mirth, “she could have been talking about me. You’re the one who thought you were being called female.”
Realizing he’d incriminated himself, Mirai groaned. “Well, it’s only because you two always say I am,” he said weakly, his cheeks reddening even further.
“Are you starting to believe the hype?” Videl jumped in. “Feeling a bit insecure, Mirai? Doubting, maybe? Unsure of your own masculinity?”
“Baka onna!” growled Mirai. “I’m perfectly confident in myself!”
Controlling himself, Gohan brushed a strand of hair away from his love’s face, looking thoughtful. “You know,” he said pensively, “a white dress and veil would look really good on you, I think…”
Mirai gave an incoherent cry of fury. He shoved himself to his feet, scowling ferociously at the other two. “You’re ganging up on me!” he accused them. “It’s a conspiracy!” Unfortunately for the poor half-breed, his only response was a fresh howl of laughter from each addressee.
“Oh, Mirai,” gasped Videl, sprawling over the arm of her chair, “you look so — hee hee — pretty when you’re angry…”
“Yeah,” agreed Gohan, who was having difficulty speaking between outbreaks of mirth. “You look regal – like a … princess or something!” The two of them fell about laughing.
In an intimidating and awe-inspiring display of intellect and maturity, Mirai blew a raspberry at both of them before turning and stalking out of the room. Before either of his tormentors could react, the door was swinging shut behind him.
“Oops…” said Gohan. With an effort, he suppressed his amusement and looked after his fiancé with concern.
“He’ll be fine,” said Videl breezily. “He’s just gone off to sulk in a nightclub and complain about how the man he’s going to marry doesn’t meet his emotional needs. The typical girl thing.” She gave Gohan an upside-down grin.
“Maybe we shouldn’t tease him like that…”
“Oh come on, you enjoyed it as much as I did!” Gohan conceded that this statement may indeed have held a grain of truth. Videl nodded knowingly and continued, “Besides, now we can talk without the risk of him overhearing.”
“Very true. It would spoil the surprise if he caught us.”
Videl reached into her handbag and drew out another folder full of papers, which she passed to Gohan. He pulled out his recently-acquired reading glasses and opened the folder, beginning to scan the pages. “They were a bit hedgy on the phone until they realized who I was – or, more specifically, who my father was – but eventually we came to a reasonable agreement.”
Gohan raised an eyebrow at her over his glasses. “Meaning, you told them what you wanted and they fell over themselves bending over backwards to fulfill your requests.”
“You could say that.”
“Videl, you didn’t have to do that,” said Gohan, but his eyes were shining with gratitude. His friend intensely disliked people who used their own name to personal advantage, and the fact that she’d done it for them meant more to him than he could have expressed in words.
She shrugged. “You know I just want to see you two happy,” she said, wordlessly accepting his thanks.
You’re all I’m living for
Your love I’ll keep for evermore,
You’re the first, my last, my everything
“Well, this,” he held up a certain piece of paper with a list of names on it, “will go a long way towards that. Thank you so much, Videl. This couldn’t have happened without you and I’ll always be grateful.” He stood up and engaged her in a hug.
A slightly wistful expression came over the dark-haired girl’s face, but she chased it away with a genuine smile. “Hey, don’t get mushy on me, Gohan — just remember, you owe me tons of training sessions now.”
He grinned into her hair. “I guess I’ll just have to put up with it.”
They released each other, and Gohan assumed a thoughtful expression. He scratched the side of his head with his index finger and grinned broadly. “I think I should go find Mirai and, you know, make up for the jokes.”
“Heh, well, I think I’ll be willing to trade in those training sessions if you’d let me watch you ‘make up for the jokes’.”
Gohan laughed nervously at the smirk on Videl’s lips, his hand behind his head, and found that he had no response to her comment.
Videl playfully cuffed him on the shoulder and laughed. “I’m just kidding. Now go on and find your man,” she said, winking at him as he smiled.
“Heh, thanks…” he replied, still slightly unnerved by her sense of humor. He smiled his good-bye and, after stashing the folder in an appropriate place where he was sure Mirai wouldn’t look, left the room, intending to find his koi.
Having not completely spanned the length of the corridor, he located whom he was looking for. His blue-eyed prince was not too far away, leaning against the doorframe of a guestroom near the end of the hall, his mother chattering rapidly to him. Or rather, at him–Gohan could tell from the look in his eyes and the polite “smile and nod” gimmick he was putting on that Mirai had no idea what she was talking about.
“Got it?” Bulma asked, bubbling with excitement.
“Uhh…”
“Great!” She leaned to him and kissed his cheek, petting his head in a motherly fashion, then retreated to another portion of the Capsule Corp compound, not having noticed Gohan’s presence.
Once she was downstairs, Gohan walked up to Mirai and tilted his head to the side. “What was that about?”
A confused shrug answered him. “Something about a glass duck and some ice.” Mirai blinked and scratched his head. Gohan chuckled. “So,” he continued, “have you come here to grovel at my feet, begging for forgiveness for the cracks you and Videl made about my gender?”
Gohan smirked. “Wouldn’t you rather I beg for something else?”
In you I’ve found so many things
A love so new only you could bring
He stepped closer to Mirai, their faces mere inches apart, a sexy smile on his lips. His fingers skimmed along Mirai’s jaw line, his thumb brushing his bottom lip. Gohan placed a feather-light kiss on the other’s mouth, barely allowing their flesh to touch.
“You’re such a tease…” Mirai muttered, before reaching his hand up to pull Gohan’s face towards him. Their lips melded, then parted to allow their tongues to take part as well. Their mouths moved together in a sensual rhythm, eliciting small noises of pleasure from them both.
“Do you forgive me?” Gohan asked once they pulled away from each other.
“…I’ll think about it,” Mirai replied, his own smirk forming on his countenance.
Gohan rolled his eyes in mock annoyance, sighing playfully. “Well then, I guess I’ll have to find some other ways to go about convincing you…” The hands clasped behind Mirai’s neck released themselves to travel slowly down his back, across the curve of his rear, and around to rest on the front of his pants. “…if you know what I mean…”
Mirai raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening some. He claimed Gohan’s mouth with his again, evoking a small noise of surprise from his koi. Soon, it was replaced by pleasure, and Gohan relaxed into the rather abrupt kiss.
“Well, isn’t that just enough to make your skin crawl?”
The couple broke their contact, caught off guard by the sudden remark. The voice and distinct energy signal made them both instantly stiffen. Mirai refused to look up, hurt slightly by the comment but more by the man who said it. Gohan sensed his distress and frowned.
“Vegeta? What are you doing here?” he asked, his mind clicking to defensive mode. The mere sight of the man caused his Saiyan instincts to kick in, pushing him to protect his mate against anyone and anything.
“Calm yourself, brat. I have no intention of pounding your sorry ass. At least, not before your wedding.”
“Then what do you want, Vegeta? Just you being here is pissing me off.”
The regal Saiyan smirked, crossing his arms in his usual manner. “Oh? Is that so?”
“Look, if you’re just here to bitch and moan about our relationship, you can save it. I’m really tired of your narrow-mindedness and your pseudo royal attitude. I don’t give a damn if you approve of our relationship or not. You can’t stop us from being together.” Gohan narrowed his eyes and sneered, “I may be the son of a third class warrior, but that won’t prevent me from kicking your ass.”
Can’t you see if you,
You’ll make me feel this way
You’re like a first morning dew on a brand new day
Vegeta’s expression remained constant, his dark eyes setting their hard gaze on Gohan. After a minute of intense silence, his smirk broadened the tiniest bit, and he gave an almost imperceptible nod.
“I see you’re not as human as I once thought. It’s pleasing to find that at least one Son hasn’t obliterated his heritage from his system.” He paused a short moment, then continued, “I actually came here to tell you that I would not be assisting in your wedding, but I believe I’ve changed my mind. Now I think I will be there, just to annoy the hell out of you.” With his trademark smirk upon his lips, he uncrossed his arms and departed in the direction he arrived.
Silence, now partly stunned and partly relieved, hung in the air. Mirai placed his hand on Gohan’s shoulder. Gohan glanced at him.
“Did he just…accept us?” Mirai asked, disbelief plain on his features.
“…I think so.” Gohan let out the breath he didn’t know he had been holding and allowed a grin to tug at his mouth.
“Gohan? Did you really mean what you said? About him not stopping us from being together?”
“I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t.”
“You’re too sweet…” Mirai said, a wide grin on his lips.
***
[Four weeks later…]
Gohan walked briskly down the long hallway, determined to see his husband-to-be, whether it was forbidden or not. Mere hours before they were legally declared a permanent couple, Gohan was feeling the effects of “cold feet,” and only the warm embrace of his lover could stifle his nerves.
He stood in the doorway to Mirai’s room, watching him fix his tie, waiting for him to notice his presence. Once Mirai was satisfied with the tie, he turned to tilt his head at Gohan.
“Hey…you know that we’re not supposed to see each other until the wedding, right?” he asked, raising one lavender brow.
“Yeah,” Gohan replied. “I know. But I had to see you! I’m just so…nervous…”
Mirai walked over to him, extending his arms to gather his raven-haired lover into his embrace. “I know, itoshii. I’m nervous too,” he said into the ebony locks.
Gohan looked up at him, an appreciative smile on his face, and Mirai leaned to kiss him lightly on the lips. The light peck soon turned passionate, and hands roamed over clothed skin, tempted to shed the offending material and explore newly bared territory. Their bodies pressed close to each other, their senses relished each touch.
“Gohan!” a voice burst in. They looked up to see Chi Chi running towards them. How she managed such speed in an ankle-length midnight-blue dress, neither knew. “What’re you two doing? It’s bad luck for you to see each other!” Hitching her sky-blue gauze wrap around her elbows, she glared at the two of them and grabbed Gohan by the arm. “Now shoo! Go on, get out of here! You’ll have plenty of time to canoodle tonight!”
Gohan went bright red. “Mum!” he complained. “Do you have to?”
She glared at him. “Yes, I do. I am married, you know. I know what it’s like to feel impatient before the wedding.” Her son groaned and buried his face in his hands. Unperturbed, Chi Chi took a firm grip on his arm and steered him away.
At that moment, Mirai felt rather overwhelmed by a thought that had never before impressed itself on him fully. *She’s going to be my mother-in-law…*
He shuddered.
Suddenly feeling like he needed some air, the pale-haired demi set off in the opposite direction from where Gohan and Chi Chi had disappeared. His feet led him to a door that opened into the backyard – thankfully, one without reporters poking their faces and cameras over the fence. The peace and stillness that enveloped him as he shut the door seemed to release a sigh from his body after the light, noise and bustle of the wedding preparations inside. It was the middle of the day, when most animals were dozing out the heat and even the cicadas had contented themselves to a background hum. Trees ranged throughout the yard noiselessly dropped their leaves onto the green carpet of the lawn, their sighs stilled without even a breath of wind.
I see so many ways that I can love you
Till the day I die….
//If only she’d stayed long enough … I could have shown her this…//
There was no bitterness in the thought, only sadness without regret. When he wasn’t immersed in the thousands upon thousands of details inherent in his wedding, Mirai had often found himself drifting into melancholy related to his mother. He loved Bulma and knew she loved him, but he could never quite feel the intimate bond he’d forged with the woman who’d raised him all his life. He’d never be quite the son to her that Chibi Trunks was – they’d simply missed out on too much.
And the thought that she, who’d known him inside out from before he was born, was absent on the greatest day of his life…
Peace. Such a small word, such a deceptively simple concept. No war. No conflict. No daily fear for your lives, for the lives of your loved ones. But what it symbolized, what it truly meant, was so much more than that, so much more than he’d ever known. To be free … to be happy … to be able to live. It was something his mother had waited her whole life for, invisible, supporting, always in the shadows and the background. And then when her wishes and dreams came true, she found that she had nothing left to give, that her light could not exist without the dark, that the drive to see the days renewed was the only thing keeping her loss from drowning her.
//I miss you … so, so much…//
The backyard blurred, shadow and dappled sunshine merging wetly, and Mirai felt his heartbeat slowing. That she should be gone … that she should miss the day her son’s life and hopes were fulfilled…
“Mirai?”
Goku’s voice was soft, uncertain, and the footsteps that slowly neared were hesitant.
He swallowed. “Goku.”
The tap of shoes on slate stopped, and there was a presence beside him, large and comforting, unsure like a child but offering unconditional support like only a parent could.
“Are you all right?”
He blinked, found that neither his eyes nor his throat cleared. He tried to draw a breath, but failed, shuddering, to make it reach his lungs.
“I wish … my mother was here…” And he broke, and fell, into scaling shattered tears of ice, and pure warm ice beaded in his eye and escaped, mourning.
And then strong arms were around him and he was crying into Goku’s chest, and sobbing that he missed her, and that she’d always been there for him and now she wasn’t, just when he wanted and needed her most, and it hurt and he missed her and he missed her and he missed her.
And it occurred to him that Goku had been his mother’s best friend, that Goku had never had a mother, that Goku nonetheless understood everything he felt and meant.
You’re my reality
Yet I’m lost in a dream
You’re the first, my last, my everything
It didn’t mean he stopped aching inside, but it helped.
It didn’t mean that his breath didn’t catch when he walked up the aisle with Vegeta at his side, but it helped.
It didn’t stop his heart from skipping when his father touched his arm in a gesture holding so much more meaning than meets the eye.
It didn’t stop his voice from wobbling as he said his vows or his eyes from filling as Gohan said his, but by then the pangs of grief had relented to allow for the bittersweet rapture of happiness.
And then the priest uttered those last few words, the most divine Mirai had ever heard, and there was cheering and crying and clapping, and Gohan was holding him tight and kissing him with all his strength, and everything he was feeling built up inside him until he was sure something had to give, and so he kissed him back fiercely and passionately and with unspeakable devotion. The deepest, most desperate desire of his heart was no more and no less than this moment, and as he wrapped his arms around Gohan’s neck he knew there was breath in his body, and love in his heart, and he was, finally, at peace.
When they broke apart Gohan saw all this and more in his love’s eyes, and smiled.
They were quiet on the way to the reception, although the following car (containing Videl, Chibi Trunks, Marron and Goten among others) was loud enough that even through the intervening yards and glass windows there was a background that defeated silence. They sat together in the back of the limousine, surrounded by luxury, refinement, style, and good taste, and yet there was nothing as beautiful to Gohan as the sight of their hands intertwined and adorned by matching rings.
He had kissed Mirai on the forehead before he knew what he was doing, and the peaceful sigh and appreciative snuggle the other part-Saiyan gave indicated that they were, in fact, sitting closer than should have been physically possible. They could have been cohabiting the same set of clothes and not been nearer to one another.
//Happiness is sharing a seat with the one you love … when there’s spares all around.//
The reception hall was the same one in which Mirai had sung that now-infamous song and wooed his beloved more than a year ago. Since then, Gohan had graduated high school and the two had moved in and set in motion the process of beginning a life together. They had indulged in enough travel to satisfy both sets of wandering feet, and domestic considerations had raised themselves. There had been a decision to buy their own home, and a move for financial independence, and a discussion on the subject of children.
It was this last one that bore the most thinking. It was not just a long and involved process to adopt a child, it was downright difficult. The by-laws and regulations put into place to make sure an orphan went to a safe, proper home were supposed to protect the child’s best interests, but they conflicted and contradicted and intruded on each other so often it made the process like negotiating a legal maze. Waiting lists, financial checks, social inspections, evaluations of every kind … not to mention the unavoidable taboo associated with a gay couple. If the system had specifically set out to thwart Gohan and Mirai’s dreams, they could not have more effectively done so.
They could build a home and a future together without a son or daughter to call their own, but … to have such a perfect completion and extension of their love for each other… Even the inevitable stress, strain and difficulties that lay down that path could not deter them from their wish. Rather, it only strengthened their determination. They could wait. They would.
I know there’s only, only one like you
There’s no way they could have made two
“Here we are!” announced the cheerful voice of the driver. She turned around and smiled at the two as they made to leave. “I’ll be on call for whenever you need me. Now go and have fun!”
“We’ll be sure to,” Gohan assured her as he held the door for Mirai. The older demi paused just as he put both feet on the footpath, and added, “Thanks.”
As soon as the door was closed, the driver took off with a dashing spin of the wheels to make way for the longer limo behind. This one pulled up rather sharply, and a harassed face was visible behind the wheel. The tense expression relaxed considerably once the car was empty of its contents, and Trunks, Goten, Marron, Videl, Bulma, Chi-Chi, and Juuhachigou had shut the door firmly behind them. Gohan and Mirai exchanged a look, and couldn’t hold in their snickers.
The next arrival disgorged Vegeta, Goku, Krillin, Piccolo, Yamcha and Tien, and the Z fighters and their families entered the building together. This simple gesture made Mirai veritably buzz with contentment, and a foolish grin established itself on his face with no signs of leaving any time soon.
In the lobby, finger foods and non-alcoholic drinks occupied the guests until politeness dictated that enough mingling had occurred for the procession into the main hall. But the dinner itself and much of the gift-giving ceremony passed in a happy daze for the newlyweds. The hours quickly escaped them.
Some time later, as everyone was finishing their meals, when satisfaction and merriment brimmed in both smiles and drinks, when laughter and smiles were as oft made as conversation, Gohan got to his feet.
“Ladies and gentlemen … and undecided…” he began, and an affable round of chuckles invited him to pause. “This day marks a beginning for Mirai and myself – the beginning of everything we could hope for.” Various agreements and appreciative comments were heard, and he grinned with a slight hint of nervousness. “It could not have happened without the help of my friends and family – you all know who you are, and if you don’t, well then, I guess the milkman’s to blame.” A good-natured burst of laughter. Even Chi-Chi and Goku were spotted enjoying the joke at their expense. Gohan paused, to enjoy the effect his joke had. Then a more serious look came over his face.
“Unfortunately, I don’t have the words to express how much this day means to me.” Looking at the man seated beside him, Gohan’s eyes softened, and he took Mirai’s hand. “I love you, Mirai Trunks Brief, and as long as there is breath in my body I will never let you forget it.” Variations on ‘aw’ were forthcoming and Mirai shone. “To be starting a life with you, to know that whatever journeys we make, we’ll make together, and whatever comes our way, we’ll face it together … Nothing could make me happier.”
Mirai’s lips curved, a blissful smile lighting up his features. He tried to hold back the tears of joy that threatened to spill from his eyes, yet still he found himself wiping trails of saline from his cheeks. .
Boy, you’re my reality
But I’m lost in a dream
The newly wedded couple kept close to one another as the day continued to wane. Their arms were wrapped around each other’s waists as they departed from the reception hall, their fingers were intertwined as they entered the city’s airport, their mouths were locked in a passionate battle as the jet that Bulma had rented for them ascended to blue skies, taking them to their honeymoon destination.
“I could just eat you up, baby,” Gohan said with a grin as they sat on the plane.
“Well…” Mirai began, a kinky smirk on his face, “we do have time…”
Gohan laughed, leaning against his side. “We wouldn’t want to distract the pilot.”
Mirai smiled, draping his arm around Gohan, hugging him even closer. He planted a kiss on the top of his head, his lips brushing soft raven hair. Gohan settled comfortably against him, sighing contentedly.
They sat in easy silence for a long moment, until Gohan gasped and jumped, turning a bright smile to Mirai. The lavender-haired man raised his eyebrows in confusion as his mate reached for the overhead compartment and pulled down a duffel bag. The bewilderment on Mirai’s face never faded as Gohan rummaged through the contents of the dark satchel, drawing out a folder filled with papers. He handed them to Mirai.
“What’s this?”
“Look inside,” he replied, the wide smile still on his lips.
Mirai tilted his head to the side curiously and obeyed. He leafed though the pages, skimming through the paragraphs. As realization set in, and he recognized the papers for what they were, a broad smile spread across his features.
“Gohan…? Is this what I think it is…?”
“Yeah, they actually approved us! They want to meet up with us next month so that they can show us pictures of some of the children up for adoption.”
“Oh…Gohan…”
“I know.”
Mirai turned to him and placed his hand on his cheek, his thumb stroking his skin, his voice refusing to escape his throat. Gohan leaned his forehead against Mirai’s and stared into his eyes, seeing the happiness conveyed in the azure irises. He brought their lips together, touching them briefly, before pushing them again towards each other in a long, sweet kiss.
When they broke apart, there was no need for words. The love they held for each other could be seen unmistakably in their eyes, could be felt plainly in their touch, could be noticed clearly in their smile.
Their love would last forever.
You’re the first, you’re the last, my everything
Author’s Notes :
1) Well this is it. After so many months and so many chapters we finally reached the end. We hope you all enjoyed it and weren’t disappointed by the way we concluded it.
A big “Thank You” and hug to all those who encouraged us and reviewed this fic. Your support meant at lot for us.
Herve & Shella
2) I would like, to give a very special thanks to Leelee. As you all know, my co writer Shella retired from writing. But before she left she send me a rough version of the epilogue. We both agreed it needed lot of work, and we asked Leelee to help us finishing it. She kindly accepted to take over it and made all the changes Shella and I thought were needed. So this is a three hands epilogue. Without her dedication, this fic would have remained unfinished, and for that Leelee I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You really did a fantabulous job with it. *Big Hug*.
Herve
By K-chan, March 5, 2011 @ 2:18 am
GAH!! WONDERFUL ENDING!! -Applauds!- It was so touching! -sniffles- And I love the wedding and Vegeta accepting them! so cool! >...> maybe) But the ending made me go “awww…!” They can have a cute kid now! YAY!! :D Thanks for writing this fic and i hope there will be more later! ^-^
By I-Love-Trunks, March 9, 2011 @ 9:56 pm
I loved this story so much! I’m really glad Vegeta accepted them. I hope you write more. Trunks is my favorite character! I love him! He’s so hot and dreamy!
By KatherineMcBride, January 8, 2012 @ 2:05 pm
This was a very heartwarming story. I kinda wish the whole ‘hard to get’ Gohan would have played out more, but other than that I did like how you made the characters. I really like that Videl wasn’t bashed either. I’ve seen a few fics that usually make her out that way and I’m glad this fic didn’t fall into that category. A few mistakes here and there, but nothing bad. Overall, like the plot and enjoyed it. One of the few fics I actually do re-read over again if I’m feeling up for a good fic.