Welcome to Boxer & Rice

And I would do anything for love,
I’d run right into hell and back,
I would do anything for love,
I’ll never lie to you and that’s a fact.

Trunks and I have never been close. He had his company to run and I had my classes to teach. We lived in the same town but we might as well have been on the opposite ends of the earth. In fact, the only reason why we ever saw each other was because he was usually with my brother Goten, and ever since my divorce with Videl, he’d usually come to check up on me.

To make sure I’m not getting too lonely all by myself in my small apartment.

Some days it don’t come easy,
Some days it don’t come hard
Some days it don’t come at all,
And these are the days that never end.

Videl had a miscarriage shortly after we got married and while she never said it out loud, I knew she blamed me for it. Because as usual, I was away sparring with my father and Piccolo, and I wasn't there for her when it happened.

No one saw it coming, all the prenatal tests she got when we found out she was pregnant showed how fine and healthy she was. So it hit us pretty hard.

We tried to make it work afterwards, even tried for another baby, but it didn't work out, and we ended up filing for a divorce a few years later.

Strangely enough, I wasn't as heartbroken about it as I should have been. And it kind of bothered me. Does that make me a monster?

But anyway, as I said earlier, Trunks and I almost never saw each other, and I think whenever we did we never said more than four to six words to each other. Like “Hello.” “Nice seeing you again.” and “Goodbye.” So when we got to talking, even though the situation was forced, it was still a little surprising.

I came to my parents house for a visit and maybe even a spar with dad or Goten but no one was home. They were expecting me to be there though so I just let myself in.

There was a note waiting for me on the table, and evidently after dad and Goten ate out her fridge, mom decided to drag them to the grocery store with her to buy some more food to fill it up again. Just thinking of how that must have went put a smile on my face. So I set the note down and decided to wait for them in the living room.

It was winter, and it was snowing out a little heavily, so while I figured that our sparring match would be over before it began, I decided to stay and wait anyway.

Not even a half an hour later, Trunks showed up. I could sense his Ki coming from ten miles away, so I went to answer the door before he even had the chance to knock when he finally landed.

I couldn't help but notice how even his winter wear made him look like a serious business man but the smile on his face was the only thing that would let anyone in on how fun loving he still was. Still skipping out on work to go for a soothing flight around the world even at the age of twenty-three.

Some nights you breath fire,
Some nights you’re carved in ice,
Some nights you’re like nothing I've ever seen before, or will again.

His expectant smile was quick to melt into a look of surprise at the sight of me. He’d obviously expected Goten to answer the door.

“Uh, hey Gohan.” He said.

I bowed my head a little in response. “Hello Trunks.” I replied, stepping aside to let him in. And he was quick to get inside, eager to be out of the cold.

I quickly shut the door, turning to see Trunks taking his snowy boots off at the mat before hanging his coat and scarf up at the rack. Brushing the fat flakes of snow out of his short hair with his fingers when he was done.

“So, is Goten here?” He asked, turning towards me while still trying to get his hair back to the way it was before the snow got in it.

I shook my head. “No, but he will be here soon.” I replied, and I guess I jinxed the both of us, because it was right then that the power went out. And we were both left in the dark.

It look a little stumbling around and a lot of knees banging painfully into so many things before we finally found where mom kept the matches and candles. And when we got a few of them lit, we were both more than a little shocked to look out the window and find that the storm had progressed to a complete white out.

“Oh my God.” Trunks breathed at the sight of the blank window. We couldn't even see three inches outside and the fact that Trunks just got in and away from that kind of scared me.

If he decided to leave to see Goten five minutes later then he could have been lost in that. And the idea really frightened me. A lot.

Just then, a look of concern crossed Trunks’s features and his face paled. “What if Goten, Chi-Chi-san and Goku-san are in that?!” He asked worriedly, pointing at chalk the white window.

I shook my head, not too worried about it at all. If mom took dad and Goten with her to go shopping for more food then they were likely to be there for hours. And probably still were there too, waiting out the white out so they could get home.

“They’re at the grocery store, restocking on food. So I wouldn't worry about them.” I said, turning away from the window and plopping myself down on the couch. Hoping that the white out wouldn't last long so that my family could get back safely and so I wouldn't be stuck there all night.

Trunks simply nodded his head in understanding, taking a seat on the other end of the couch, his posture seemed like a nervous one, and this had me a little curious.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

He turned his head towards me, looking a little shocked that I had actually spoken to him. Even if it was to ask a simple question. “I just never liked storms.” He explained.

I shrugged, deciding that since there was no one else to talk to then I might as well talk to him. “A white out is hardly a storm. It affects your vision more than anything else. ” I pointed out.

“Ya, I know.” He breathed. “But… it still is kind of scary.” He almost whispered.

And I almost choked. Trunks? Afraid?? And actually admitting it?!?

That was certainly something you didn't see everyday. But I guessed that I couldn't blame him for not liking the white out, considering what Vegeta did when he was still just a kid. But at the same time I thought he was over it.

Vegeta had heard about the training that Piccolo put me through when I was still so young and on that island, and he figured that being alone and taking care of myself for so long contributed to my great strength. And being the guy that he is, he wanted his son to be stronger than the son of his rival. So he tried the same type of training on Trunks.

At the North Pole.

By the time Bulma’s screaming and yelling had gotten through to him to go and get him, he was already half dead from the freezing cold. And the only reason why his right arm and both of his legs weren't amputated due to the severe frostbite was because of the dragon balls.

He was really lucky to be alive. And Bulma and Vegeta’s relationship had been on the rocks for years afterwards.

Feeling a little sorry for his predicament and also wanting to take his mind off of it, I got up, took a spare candle and headed for the kitchen, shielding the weak flame with my hand so it wouldn't go out.

When I got back, I had a deck of cards in my spare hand. “Know how to play poker?” I asked. We were going to be stuck there alone for a while, so I figured we might as well do something to take our minds off of it.

Maybe I'm crazy, But it’s crazy and it’s true,
I know you can save me, No one else can save me now but you.

It was going on six hours and the white out still wasn't letting up. In fact it was just about eleven o’clock at that point, and we both grew bored of simple card games a long time ago. The last one being how high we could make a castle of cards before they fell over.

And since there was nothing else to do (Goten had a habit of locking his room, so we couldn't get at his Walkman or Cd’s), or anything to eat, we just sat around talking, watching the flickering light from the many candles we lit up to light the room.

Surprisingly, we had a lot to talk about, so it wasn't at all boring.

I asked him about Capsule Corp and he asked me about the University. We talked about women we’d dated, things we’d done, or didn't do, or wanted to do. It was simply amazing the conversations we had. Trunks turned out to be more complex and a much deeper person than I thought he was.

Then, he suddenly asked me. “Gohan, does sex satisfy you?” He asked, leaning against the arm of the couch with his head resting on his fist, as if it was nothing different in the world to be asking his best friends older brother sex questions.

I tried to shrug it off. Younger people were far more open with themselves nowadays anyway. But, when I went to answer him, I found to my surprise that the answer was no. Sex, while always pleasurable, had so far never satisfied me.

I shook my head, trying to dismiss it with a short laugh, even though it kind of bothered me. “No, not really.” I answered.

Trunks breathed a sigh of relief at that. “Good, I thought I was the only one.” He said and I cocked a brow at him.

“What?”

He switched positions and leaned back in the couch, still looking glad that I never had any good sex before. “Well, it never satisfied me either. No matter who it was with.” He explained. “And for a while, I guess I thought there was something wrong with me.” He said, trying to laugh it off as nothing like I had but if he was doing that then it was obvious about how much it bothered him. So I was quick to tell him that there was nothing wrong and that he probably just didn't find the one he wanted to be with yet.

I read up somewhere that sex was supposed to be ten times better when it was with someone you loved or felt connected to. Was that why Videl and I didn't work out? Because we didn't love each other?

Without even realizing it, we started inching closer to each other as we told our stories.

Trunks used sex as an escape, to get away from the pressures of his father’s training, Capsule Corp, and just life in general. While I used it to try and drown out the loneliness I felt every time I got drunk and depressed enough at a bar and ended up taking someone home with me.

Pathetic really, but who ever said that the life of earth’s savior was supposed to be all candy and flowers?

Maybe I’m lonely, And that’s all I’m qualified to be,
There’s just one and only, The one and only promise I can keep.

Before we knew what was happening, we were kissing each other. Slowly at first, our hands on each other’s cheeks as we worked our way up to getting our mouths to open for each other.

I had never kissed another man before, and from what he told me, neither did he. But it felt good, right even, and since he didn't show signs of wanting to stop, neither did I.

I didn't ever want to stop.

But I’ll never forgive myself if we don’t go all the way – Tonight –

Eventually, it sped up to the point where we shed our clothes and ended up making love on that very couch. It was kind of awkward at first, all things considered, and we didn't really know what we were doing aside from the fact that we wanted to do it. But I guess in the end we both did everything right since we both ended up loving every second of it and coming hard.

And I was satisfied.

And I knew he was too. I remember his exact words after we were done being: “Holy shit! If that’s not the best sex ever than nothing is!”

I also remember chuckling at him appreciatively, wrapping an arm around his waist and snuggling him close.

I like to cuddle after sex, you see.

And it was only then that I noticed how utterly romantic the whole situation seemed. Just the two of us, all by ourselves with no one around to disturb us for miles, and candles lit all around us as we made love to each other.

A sign from God perhaps?

And it was also then that the white out suddenly disappeared as soon as it had appeared, and the sky cleared for us to see the bright and shining stars outside the window in the night sky.

I let out a sigh of disappointment, dropping my head into the crook of Trunks’s neck and never wanting to move away. With the white out gone, mom, dad and Goten would be back soon, and we had to get dressed and separate.

Some days I pray for Silence,
Some days I pray for Soul,
Some days I just pray to the God of Sex and Drums and Rock ‘N’ Roll.

I really didn't want to but who knew how mom would act if she were to find out that her son had slept with another man? And on her most expensive couch at that? I wasn't too sure which one she would care about the most but I didn't want to risk either of them.

We cleaned up our mess and quickly got dressed, and for a few wordless minutes, I was afraid that what had just happened would be nothing more than a simple one night stand to him. Something that meant nothing to him at all. And the idea scared the hell out of me.

I wanted to be with him and I wanted him to want me back.

It wasn't until we started to feel the familiar Ki signatures of my family closing in on the house, did Trunks break the silence. Approaching me almost nervously and actually twiddling his fingers.

I was heartbroken, he was going to ask me to never mention what had just happened to him or anyone else ever. He was going to say that he wanted me to leave him alone from now on. He was going to–

“I know a few good clubs we could go to.” He cut off my mental rant, and I simply stared there at him, wide eyed in shock. “Maybe we could get together some time and go?”

I was ready to melt, faint or die or even do all three. He wasn't asking me to forget about what had just happened. He was asking me out on a date! And I was thrilled, leaning my face in for a soft and most grateful kiss before pulling away to answer.

“Sounds great.” I breathed, trying not to let him in on how nervous I was mere seconds ago. “When should we go?”

To my delight, his entire face seemed to light up at my response. “Are you free next Saturday?” He asked.

I wasn't but I decided to make the time for him anyway.

Noticing that our time alone together was almost up, we pulled each other close for a stronger, more passionate kiss that the one before. Simply clinging to each other in the hopes that it would last us throughout the rest of the week until we could be alone again.

When we heard the door open up for my family, we were as quick as lightning when we pulled away from each other. And the sound of grocery bags being dropped carelessly on the floor before the sound of my mother scolding my brother and father filled the air.

Mom was the first to notice us when she stepped into the living room. The both of us standing there and waiting patiently for them. “Oh, Gohan, sweety, I’m so sorry about that, but with the white out–”

“It’s okay, mom.” I quickly assured her, stepping forward to help her with the bags in her hands, and Trunks decided to go and help my father and Goten with their load since, by the sound of it, the bags kept on ripping open and items kept on falling out on the floor.

We all spent the next half an hour putting the food away and listening while mom complained about her day. Having her fridge brutally raided and being stuck in the grocery store with her son and husband who wanted to do nothing but eat, was evidently a real nightmare.

“What did you guys do all day?” Goten then asked. “You don’t even like each other. It must have sucked being stuck here with nothing to do.” He said, and I couldn't help the small smile of amusement that forced it’s way onto my lips.

Sneaking a glance out of the corner of my eye, I could see Trunks wearing the same look I was.

“Oh, we found things to pass the time.” I said slyly, and I could see that Trunks was having trouble not bursting out laughing.

Some nights I lose the feeling,
Some nights I lose control,
Some nights I just lose it all when I watch you dance and the thunder rolls.

Six months later, we were still together, and still had yet to tell anyone about our relationship.

It was a strange sort of relationship at first. We hardly ever saw each other outside the one date we went on every two weeks, one week at best. And after every night of bar hopping and running around town clubbing, we’d always head back to my place to have more of the great hot sex that we had.

But after a month or two, that just became unacceptable, and we just had to start seeing each other more often.

Trunks played this little sex game with me whenever we were together. The game being more of a competition than anything, and the idea was to see who could make the other come first.

I kind of thought it was cute but I never payed too much attention to it at first.

But then I found out that Trunks was keeping a mental score in his head and was winning by six.

That meant war.

It’s one point for making your partner come first, one and a half points for making him scream your name when your partner comes first, and three points if you can get him to change into a super saiyan while he comes.

I remember one time we were together, Trunks got so desperate for me to get him off that he said “Fuck the game!” And actually begged me to do it. He hardly ever loses control like that but I love it when he does.

Gives me a nice, warm feeling inside, knowing that I’m the one doing it to him.

I’ll never stop dreaming of you
Every night of my life – No Way –

When we were done, I remember snuggling him close, kissing his neck and chuckling at my little victory. Because I had just earned one and a half points.

“I beat you.” I whispered breathlessly into his ear.

“So what?” He said, a little more in control of his voice since he had more time to catch it. “I’m still winning the game.” He pointed out, a smile of innocence on his face.

And I grinned back at him evilly. “Ya? Well, we’ll see how long that lasts.” I said, rolling us over to have another go.

It was great, what we had, but we both knew that we had to let our families in on it sooner or later. And that’s why I’m waiting here, for Trunks to get back in the open field on the small island Piccolo left me on when I was still a kid.

Trunks was feeling particularly down one day, and was even questioning his abilities and strength, as well as what he should be able to do but couldn't. And when he brought up nearly dying at the North Pole, and accused himself of being weak for it, I just had to bring him to this place

It was just about three months ago when I did, and the basic idea was to show him the difference between the training my teacher had put me through, in comparison to the unfair and unrealistic training Vegeta laid on him.

At least here, there was shelter in the caves, and food growing on the trees. Something I could survive off of. And I could tell that Trunks was feeling better.

We ended up coming here regularly, usually telling people we were here to train whenever they thought we were gone for too long, and while that was the half truth, the rest of the time… Well, you can guess what we were doing.

I would do anything for love,
And I’ll be there until the final act –
I would do anything for love!
And I’ll take a Vow and Seal a pact –

I just finished telling my family about me, and sadly, they didn't take it as well as I had hoped they would. Dad was just way too shocked for words, Goten wouldn't even look at me, and mom slapped me hard across the face before kicking me out of her house. But that was only after I refused to leave Trunks.

And so, I came here, to the spot Trunks and I had to agreed to come to when we were done with our families. I kind of doubted it but at the moment I was just praying that his family would take it better than mine did.

Looking up into the night sky, I could see the outline of my lover slowly approaching before coming to a graceful land on his feet. And my heart sank to the pits of my stomach at the sight of him.

I guess Vegeta didn't take it so well.

A black eye and a split lip from his father, and a red hand print on his opposite cheek from Bulma. He fought the tears streaming down his cheeks but it was a battle he was losing.

“Hey.” He croaked when he approached me.

“Hey.” I whispered back, having a real good idea of what had just happened but needing to ask anyway. “What happened?”

He gave out a shaky sigh, turning his face away from me in shame. “Mom took Capsule Corp away from me and then she and dad disowned me.” He cried, wiping the tears out of his eyes with his hand. “What about you?” He asked, trying to compose himself. “How’d it go?”

My response was a sad smile, a hand that wasn't mine coming up to touch my red cheek. And I guess he figured out what happened with me even without my needing to say it. Personally, I was amazed he was showing so much concern for me considering how much worse he looked. But I had a senzu bean at my apartment and he would be getting it when we got there.

The next thing that happened, was we were both pulling each other close for a much needed and tight hug, spilling out our grief from the loss of families whom we assumed loved us with that one simple act. But out of it all, I really wish that at least Bulma had accepted her son. She and my father were the last people on earth that I expected to turn us away and it hurt.

After nearly an hour of silent tears and clinging, Trunks was the one to break the silence.

“So,” He started, forcing a smile to try and lighten up the situation. “Do you have any room at your place for your jobless, homeless, and penniless boyfriend?” He asked nervously.

And I smiled down at him, stroking his cheek fondly while trying to avoid irritating the red mark. “More than enough.” I whispered, leaning in to reassure him with a kiss.

I’d kill myself before I’d ever turn him away. I really would.

I would do anything for love,
Anything you've been dreaming of, But I just wont do that…

It’s winter again, but that was two years ago, and we’re still together. Married too.

None of our family members attended the ceremony, despite the invitations we sent out, but it’s nice to know that we still have some friends.

Dende performed it for us and then blessed us, and Mr. Popo, and Piccolo were our witnesses.

Nameks are asexual, so they honestly didn’t care about our choices, and as for Mr, Popo, well, I guess you can only serve God for so long before you just learn to deal with his way of thinking.

For a split second though, I could have sworn that I felt my father’s Ki signature nearby, but when I whipped my head in the direction of the nearest window, I only got a small glimpse of an orange and black blur before it disappeared.

I had the vague idea, in the back of my head, that it was him, and that he wanted to see me getting married. But so far I have yet to find out if it was true.

Trunks had so far tried to get into contact with his mother and father many times. By letters, e-mails, phone messages, anything really. But there was never a reply to any of them, and eventually, he just stopped trying.

I can’t really blame him for giving up on them, not after they threw out their only son without so much as allowing him to pack his bags. The only thing he had from home was the sword Tapion had given him, and that was only because he always carried it with him in a capsule in his pocket.

At least with his intellect it wasn't hard for him to find a job. And he even became a teacher with me down at the University. But he wasn't teaching computer courses like I had expected him to be. If you can believe it, he works on the opposite end of campus at wood shop.

He’s a woodworking teacher! Can you believe that?!

At least he likes his job this time, and if he’s happy, then I’m happy. Usually he would come home covered in sawdust and such, just because he knows I’ll take a shower with him to get it off so we can get each other off.

A nice bonus if you ask me.

Goten’s still not speaking to me. I guess he figures that I stole his best friend from him or something, because it’s the only thing I could think of as to why he’d act this way towards me after Trunks told me that they had a few gay friends back in high school. But at least there’s hope that we could get back to being brothers again.

Once or twice a year, I head back home. To ask for a spar from my father, or to try and talk things through with my mother. But she’s as stubborn as ever, and every time I see her, she always makes it plainly clear that her offer still stands.

If I drop Trunks, I can be a member of the family again.

It’s just not fair. Why is it that the one thing she asks of me is the one thing I cannot give?

I love my family, I do. And I would do anything for them. Hell, I would even die for them. But give up Trunks? The very love and light of my life and reason for living?

But I’ll never stop dreaming of you
Every night of my life – No Way –

Laying with him in bed this very moment as he sleeps peacefully, laying on his side with his back to me while I curl against him. Making him stir in his sleep ever so slightly as I run my fingers up his tight abs ticklishly before running my hand down his arm and stopping at his hand. Running my fingertips over his wonderful skin before I make it to his wedding band.

And only one thing enters my mind as I think about my mother’s offer.

I would do anything for love,
I would do anything for love,
I would do anything for love,

I won’t do it.

But I won't do that!