Please

Hey everybody! Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! You guys seriously keep me motivated enough to continue writing this! I’ve had a bit of trouble coming up with this chapter, thus the long delay. Sorry to those reviewers who I promised a quick update to! I thought it would be up sooner too! :( But it’s up now, so enjoy and continue reviewing awesome people! ^^
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Goten’s POV
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I stood at the corner of the school on Monday morning, waiting for Trunks like I always did. I had some second thoughts about meeting him. After having the weekend to think, I wasn’t sure if I had just overreacted. By this morning, I had convinced myself nothing had happened, and decided to wait at the corner as usual.

I fidgeted with the collar of my turtleneck. Gohan had beat me long and hard that Saturday, until I passed out from pain and exhaustion. But with my Saiyan blood, the cuts and gashes had healed into barely visible lines, and the bruises had almost disappeared. Only my neck remained covered with purple marks. I briefly wondered if maybe my Saiyan healing had ran out.

A Saiyan’s neck is the most sensitive part, other than the tail of course. It is where one’s mate left the bite mark, because the neck is the most tender and the bite mark will remain forever. Gohan found it entertaining to hear my cries as he dug his nails deep into the tender flesh.

I turned my back to the school wall and leaned against it, closing my eyes. The pain from Gohan’s beating had kept me from sleeping well this weekend. Maybe I would get a few minutes of rest before Trunks arrived.
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Trunks’ POV
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I flew slowly to Orange Star High School, worried. Would Goten be waiting at our corner like always, or would he hate me for what I did? If I lost his friendship, there wouldn’t be any point in my life.

I turned in the sky, and there was the school, with Goten’s comforting ki somewhere nearby. I landed a small distance away, to avoid alarming people who might freak out at a flying Saiyan, and ran the rest of the way.

I smiled when I saw Goten at our corner, leaning against the wall with his eyes closed. He looked so vulnerable that it made me want to make him mine, whatever that meant.

No, I couldn’t think like this. This was what had caused this whole mess between us.
I approached and he still didn’t open his eyes. As I got closer, Goten’s snores could be heard. Ok, so he could sleep standing up.

“Hey, Chibi,” I said gently.

His eyes fluttered open. “Trunks,” he said in surprise.

I smiled weakly, not knowing how to start apologizing. My rehearsed speech fled my mind. “Um, tired?”

He shrugged. “Not particularly.”

There he went lying again. I could tell by the way he spoke, dragging his words out, that he was exhausted. And what normal person could fall asleep standing? But considering what I had done, I didn’t push the matter.

There was silence for a few moments, during which I studied Goten. His eyelids drooped, threatening to close, and his head nodded lazily. I frowned, noticing he was wearing a turtleneck again. The last time he wore it, every time I touched him, he flinched away. In other words, a turtleneck meant a recent severe beating from his unknown abuser.

But I had to apologize first. I sighed, getting Goten’s attention. “Um, Chibi, I have to apologize for my behavior Saturday.” I glanced at him, seeing his eyes fixed intently upon mine. “I mean, about…you know…kissing you.” I glanced at him again.

His expression hadn’t changed. “I-I don’t know what came over me, but don’t be angry with me, Chibi. It won’t ever happen again, I promise,” I finished in a rush. Oh please, please let him forgive me.
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Goten’s POV
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I had been hoping Trunks wouldn’t bring up Saturday. Then maybe I could fully convince myself it never happened. But he had, and I didn’t know how to reply.

I guess the only thing I could do was say I forgave him, though I didn’t hold any anger to begin with. “Um, it’s ok Trunks, I’m not mad.”

His strained face relaxed back to the normal face of Trunks, cool and collected. “Thanks Chibi.”

Glad that that was over with, I grinned happily. Everyone made mistakes. Trunks just made one of a different sort.
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Trunks’ POV
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At our lunch spot, Goten nibbled his sandwich. I ate my lunch as slowly as possible, but with so much food that Kaasan packed in my capsule, I couldn’t help but scarf the food down.

Goten finished his sandwiches and drained his water bottle. He purposely turned his head away from me scarfing down my food.

After seeing how much Goten ate at my house, I knew for a fact the meager lunch he brought every day couldn’t possibly fill him. So I had packed an extra capsule for him with as much food as I could find around the house.

“Hey Chibi,” I said, “are you still hungry?”

“Nuh uh,” he denied, shaking his head.

I chuckled. “Look Goten, I’m not an idiot. Plus, I’ve known you ever since you were born. Don’t even tell me you’re not hungry.”

“But…”

I tossed the capsule at him. He caught it and looked at it quizzically. I nodded at him to open it. “It’s for you.”

He pressed the round button at the top and threw the capsule on the ground. Food thrown clumsily in a picnic basket appeared where the capsule had lain.

Goten pounced on the food like a cat on a mouse. “Wow, Trunks, is this all for me?” he exclaimed.

I smiled back at him. “Of course, Chibi.”

He laughed delightedly and tore into the food. “Thanks, Trunks,” he said through a full mouth.

After Goten finished eating, we lay down on the grass and stared at the clouds. I felt at peace, lying by my best friend away from the rest of the world.

“Look Trunks, it’s a hotdog,” Goten said, pointing at a long cloud.

I smiled. “Sure, Chibi.”

I turned my head to his. He didn’t notice and continued searching through the clouds for familiar shapes. His turtleneck slipped as he craned his head back, and I caught a glimpse of deep bruises beneath the material.

I made myself remain calm as I spoke. “Chibi, aren’t you hot with that sweater on?”

His eyes dropped from the clouds. “N-no, I’m fine.”

I had had enough of his lies. It was about time Goten told me the truth, and I was determined to get it out of him.

Before he could react, I threw myself over him. The scene felt so much like Saturday’s incident, but I wouldn’t let that stop me. I gripped his wrists and shoved them over his head, exposing his neck covered with the sweater.
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Goten’s POV
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I trembled as Trunks glared at me. He wouldn’t back down this time, I was sure of it. I had kept my secret from him for so long, but I would have to tell him today.

But I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to so badly. If he knew, Trunks would try to fight Gohan, but he wouldn’t win. I couldn’t let my best friend do that, and the only way to keep him safe was to keep my secret.

But as Trunks glared intensely at me, making me cower, I knew he would win.

“What’re you hiding under that turtleneck, Chibi?” Trunks asked, threat hanging in his voice.

Right now, he reminded me so much of Gohan that I began to whimper. But this is Trunks, I reminded myself, he’s trying to help you.

“Fine, if you won’t tell me, I’ll find out by myself.” Trunks bent his head, lowering it to float just above mine. “Don’t resist, Chibi. You’re only going to make it harder on yourself.”

I pulled my wrists against his hands, but he held on tightly. I cursed myself for being weaker than my best friend. But with his hands full holding me down, how would he expose my neck? A bit of hope sparked.

It was crushed. Trunks dipped his head even lower, until I couldn’t see his face anymore. I felt his teeth grip the edge of my turtleneck.

For a split second, I felt a strange sensation from this. Almost as if I wanted him to take my shirt off with his teeth. But panic crashing in waves quickly drowned that thought.
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. Trunks’ POV
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“Please Trunks,” Goten whispered as I pulled gently on his turtleneck.

I ignored him and continued pulling until it didn’t cover his neck anymore. I raised my head to see what it had covered.

“Oh Goten,” I breathed.

His entire neck was purpled, with scratches all over. Two handprints were indented in purple bruises, as if someone had tried to strangle him. I bent closer and saw that the scratches were in the shape of small crescents, nail marks.

Now limp, Goten cried softly beneath me.
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Goten’s POV
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I squeezed my eyes shut, but the tears continued to leak out. The expression on Trunks’ face as he saw my neck, it horrified me. Such pain in them, for what I don’t know. But I do know he was hurting deeply.
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Trunks’ POV
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I should have been there, then this wouldn’t have happened. With tentative fingers, I reached out and gently brushed them against Goten’s neck. He cried out at the contact, his tears flowing faster, and didn’t even try to resist, his wrists now laying limp above his head.

What horrible person would do this? Especially to Goten, so innocent and naïve who couldn’t even bear to see a mosquito killed.

Another look at his tears ignited my guilt. If only I had asked earlier, I could have stopped this. If I had known, I would have tracked down that person and made him pay for what he did to my Chibi. If I didn’t keep giving in every time Goten asked me to stop asking. So many ‘ifs’ and this was the result.

I cupped my hands against Goten’s cheeks. “Come on, Chibi, look at me,” I urged. Patiently, I waited until his tears slowed and he opened his eyes.
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Goten’s POV
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“Who did this to you, Goten?”

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. Finally, I could tell someone my secret. But if Trunks was that person, then I would rather shoulder the full weight of it alone.

Trunks’ clear blue eyes stared into mine unwaveringly. “Please tell me, Chibi.”

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. “Please Trunks, if I tell you, promise me you won’t do anything stupid.” He nodded stiffly. “I don’t know why he does it, Trunks, but if you try to challenge him, he’ll hurt you.”

“Just tell me,” Trunks burst out impatiently.

“It’s…it’s Gohan…” I breathed. Finally, after so many years, my secret was out. But as one weight lifted, another settled.
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I’m so sorry I haven’t posted replies! I always like it when an author takes time to respond to reviews!
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usmorgan: I definitely hope you continue to read and review!
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Evilniiko: I hope your question gets answered as the story progresses! Most of it should have been cleared up with this chapter, anyway! :)
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Isis: Haha, it would have been too easy to just tell Goku. Had to have a little more angst first, right? ^^
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Veronica: You’re very right about Gohan and Goku being incredibly out of character, but I thought that Trunks and Goten would be more out of character. They kind of are slightly in character I guess it turned out! Hopefully all of your questions will be answered as the writing continues! :) I realize that the frequent switching of POV is kind of weird, and I have two main reasons for that. One, is that I think since there are two completely different perspectives, I wouldn’t be able to really get into each mind set without completely changing the narrator as well. And two, I’m not very good at doing third person when I switch perspectives so much. Eventually, when I do third person, the different characters’ thoughts don’t feel so different any more. Haha, I’ll be working on that though for the next fanfic! Your review was very much appreciated, and please keep reading!
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ranetheinsane: Thank you for the very nice and encouraging review! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well!
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