Welcome to DBZ Love Garden

“Please give me one last chance to make this work…one more chance to prove to you my love.”

Gohan could feel the soft hairs rising on the back of his neck as he heard the plea-filled words from the younger man behind him, as all of a sudden the old litany began to play in his mind.

‘He doesn’t mean it, he’s lying, he hates you, he doesn’t want you really, you’re just something to fuck…’

And he made his painful decision.

“No Trunks. It’s not going to happen. We argue too much now, and you hurt me so badly. I just don’t…think that we’re in love anymore.” As soon as the words had tumbled from his mouth, he wanted to snatch back the lie but he needed to be strong. Gohan tried to ignore the painful gasp that came from the man he so desperately loved as he continued. “It’s for the best, ne? There’s really nothing more that can be done.”

He leaned down and picked up the duffle bag crammed full of various clothing, pushed his glasses up his nose and reached for the door, only to be prevented from doing so when Trunks grabbed his wrist.

“No, PLEASE, Gohan! Please don’t leave…I DO love you, and I know that somewhere, you still love me too! I just need to…to show you somehow! There’s got to be a way!” Fingers clutched desperately at the fabric of his sleeve. “I love you! Don’t you see that? Please, don’t let your insecurities get in the way! Shouldn’t the fact that I told you account for something?”

Gohan gently twisted his wrist away from the desperate hand. “I don’t think I can handle being hurt anymore. The trust is gone, Trunks, I’m sorry.” One hand trailed haltingly down his love’s tanned face and was then snatched away as though Gohan had realised what he was doing. “I’m going back to my parents’ house. I’ll…I’ll come back for the rest of my stuff later okay?” He spun quickly on his feet, facing away from Trunks again, refusing to show the tears that were forming.

“I’ll see you some time, yeah?” And with that, Gohan left.

***

Trunks rolled over in the bed that he had barely left since Gohan had walked out. ‘Gohan walked out…and it was all my fault…’ With a swipe of his arm, he whipped away the tears forming at his eyes, then jumped out of his skin when the telephone jangled loudly. Rolling over again, and stuffing his head under the pillow, he chose to ignore it and let the answer machine do the talking. Then he regretted his decision.

“Hi! We can’t get to the phone right now…either that or we just don’t want to be disturbed! Anyway, leave a message after the tone, and we’ll get back to you. If we ever get around to checking the thing.”

He had forgotten that Gohan had made the recording…the sound of his love’s voice sent him further into his depression.

“Sweetie!” his mother’s voice disturbed his thoughts. “Are you ever going to come out of that room of yours?” A strange noise came from the receiver, and all of a sudden, Vegeta’s harsh voice sounded from the machine.

“Now you listen to me, brat. When are you going to get your ass out of that damned house? Stop moping like a pathetic idiot, and do something about it!” Something in Vegeta’s outburst caused Trunks to come to a sudden decision. He WAS going to do something about it.

Ignoring his parents bickering over the answer phone, he strode towards the bathroom. Before he did anything, he most definitely needed a shower. Spending three days in bed told him that.

***

“Gohan, honey, do you want something to eat?”

“No, Mum, I’m fine thanks.”

“Sure?”

“Yeah.” Gohan sighed, and continued with his absent doodling on the top of his old childhood desk. The fact that he could no longer fit his legs in the alcove beneath the top proved to him just how long ago it was since he was a child. The age he was now, he could actually have a grown up child of his own. Yet here he was, back in his parents’ house, because he had nowhere else to go.

‘Oh, Trunks…why did you have to do that?’

He could still clearly remember that fateful night…

Gohan slid his key into the lock, and twisted it sharply to the right to allow him access into the house that he and Trunks shared. “Trunks?” The fact that he did not get an immediate answer scared him.

“Trunks? You home?” he called as he walked down the hallway and entered the living room. He found the person he was searching for sitting on the sofa, head in his hands. “Trunks, what’s wrong?” He sat down next to the object of his affections and rested a worried hand on his shoulder.

“Gohan…I have something to tell you. Something to confess.”

“What?” Gohan blinked in confusion, his hand tightening slightly.

“You know that night a few weeks ago where I stayed away for that meeting with the CC?”

A cold dread settled itself in the pit of Gohan’s stomach. “Yeah…”

“Well, I…I got really drunk. And I…well, I ended up in bed with some guy. I swear I didn’t mean it! I didn’t even know what I was doing! Honestly, Gohan, you have to believe me…”

Gohan’s whole world came crashing down around him.