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Touching Angels
Kuriyamimizu
3/8/00

Copyrights: All of the characters held herein are not the property of the author with the exception of Kuri. Otherwise they’re not mine, I don’t claim they are, don’t sue me!

Note: This isn’t in dimension #369, where all of my other stories have taken place. And now a request…please don’t kill me….and a warning, if you’re offended by bisexual, or homosexual situations, bail now, it’s a dark ride.

 Trunks leaned back slowly in his office chair. This was most likely the most utterly boring day that he had ever chanced to live through. He was so bored that he was beginning to ponder counting out how many holes there were in the ceiling. He had almost gotten to the point where he was aiming a pencil at the ceiling and about to throw it to see if it stuck when there was a knock at the door.

  Trunks was at such an angle in the chair, and this noise so surprised him that he toppled completely over backwards in the chair and hit his head on the window. Between a stifled growl of pain and a shuffle to get upright again, his guest whoever they were, were taken to wait a moment.

“Come in.” said a slightly embarrassed and ruffled president.

  A girl stepped in. Her dress was very simple. A blue sleeveless shirt and blue pants. Her entire being was blue, from deep blue eyes to blue hair that was checked back in a braid that swung freely on her back. She smiled a shy smile at him, and he was struck with a sense of déjà vu. This girl seemed to be very familiar to him.

 “Ohio gozamasu, Briefs-san.”

  The voice was all that he needed to place her. It was Kuri! He jumped out of his seat unmindful of the papers that flew with his motion. He ran over and embraced his old friend. She smiled up at him warmly.

“It’s good to know that I’m remembered.”

  He grinned his entrancing grin at her. “How could I forget you? You were me and Goten’s favorite person back in the day. Where have you been hiding yourself?”

  She smiled. “That doesn’t matter.”

  He looked at her more closely now. Cheeks that should have been healthy and flushed with the vigor of life and youth were pale and slightly drawn. Her entire figure was just slightly gaunt, and her eyes were just a little too tired. He frowned.

“Are you all right?”

  She nodded at him. “Hai, what makes you ask?”

  He put his finger on the problem. “You’ve been out of work?”

  It was more of a statement than a question. She smiled at him. “Being an artist doesn’t pay much. When I really need money, I have ways of making it, but I really don’t like to turn to that unless I’m desperate. I was wondering…”

  She stopped for a moment, a blush of embarrassment and perhaps shame flowing over her face. “I was wondering if I could stay with you for a little while.”

  She looked up to find a warm smile greeting her, and kind blue eyes that hadn’t changed over the years.

“All you had to do was ask.”

 She returned the hug that had been previously given. “Arigato.”

 He smiled and held his longtime friend as tears of joy splashed down her pale face. After she had composed herself she sat back in a chair and looked at him with a smile on her face.

“So how had life been treating you? Did you find that someone special you told me all those years ago?”

  A dreamy look fell onto her younger companion’s face. He still remembered that day so many years ago when they had talked about their dreams. It had been right before Kuri had left. He knew that if he had told anyone else such things they would laugh at him, but he knew that she could be trusted. “Hai.”

  She caught that sound in his voice, that sound that signified that he’d given his heart to someone. “Who is it Trunks-kun?”

  He thought about it. He looked into those earnest eyes and knew that she wouldn’t betray any confidence that he placed in her. He leaned closer, his hair, which had been growing out recently brushed the sides of his face.

“Kuri-chan, I think I’m in love with Goten.”

  There was a moment of shock on her face and then she broke into a sunny smile. “I know you two would be good for each other. Do you think he feels the same way?”

  Trunks leaned back in his rolling chair, sliding back and leaning back in it at the same time. His face was one of hope and many other indescribable emotions thrown together to simmer in a restless heart and let onto his face to show what stirred within him.

“I don’t know. I hope so. I hope to Kami that he loves me back, if he doesn’t I think my heart’s going to break. I mean, I’ve loved him since we were kids.”

  She smiled slowly, a knowing smile of one who’s been there. “You know Trunks-kun, the only advice I can give you is to watch him, see if he returns this affection. If you can’t tell, then ask him, and the worst thing is that he will say no.”

  Trunks nodded slowly. “Thank you for the advice Kuri!”

  That evening the small girl moved in with the two young demi-Sayajin. Goten and Trunks shared a multi-room apartment to cut living costs for the both of them. It wasn’t a problem for Trunks, but he didn’t mind paying for Goten who wasn’t as financially stable. That evening Goten came in a little latter than the other two, after having visited a party or two. He caught sight of the girl sitting there in one of the chairs in the corners and did a double take.

“Kuri-san?”

  She rose, unfolding long and graceful legs, bringing smiling eyes up to meet him. She walked forward with her always flowing motion and hugged him, and stepped back to smile once again.

“Good to see you Goten.”

  He grinned at her and looked over to Trunks. “Is she staying with us?”

  Trunks nodded the affirmative. Goten grinned. It was good to have old friends return into your life after an absence.

  The weeks started passing with incredible speed. Kuri got adjusted with the boys and things ran a lot smoother in the house. She was good at some rudimentary skills of the home, not so much as a housewife might be, but good enough to keep the place clean. The boys found that laundry got clean a lot faster and that they actually had a dark blue carpet instead of one the shade of green that they had previously thought.

  One night Kuri was sitting there in a room filled only with candle light. She was near three of the large French windows that composed part of the room. The candles flickered and glowed slightly, sending shadows dancing on the walls that would mingle on the glass with the reflections on the glass to make a beautiful scene. There was the slight smell of roses in the air, as she had been burning rose incense.

  The house was silent, except for the sound of the air outside and the occasional passing of a car. It cast a very somber, smoky and reflective feeling in that room. She was drawing, sketching out someone that did not yet have facial features, just a background to show that there was something there. The boys were out that night at a party. She smiled at the thought of her friends. They had been growing closer over the months. Trunks had been following her advice, he was watching his long time best friend and he was noticing that the other boy just might return his attention.

  It was a sweet thought. Kuri sighed and let the pencil slip from her fingertips to fall with a dull thud on the paper. She was unhappy. No, that wasn’t true. She was happy with her situation, but she was lonely. And feeling unloved. She hadn’t gone out dating for a long time. Not after him. Not after what he had done to her. But now, she discovered, even a wounded heart yearns for what it has lost and yet never truly had.

  The candles flickered as she permitted herself one sigh. There was the sound of a key in a lock. That would be them then. She watched the door open. There they were. She smiled at them.

“Have a good time?”

  Goten grinned. “Hell yeah. It was a party…to remember.”

  He flopped down on a couch grinning. Kuri frowned. She smelled weed among other things. And beer. Most likely they were too drunk to be thinking straight. Trunks looked a little more composed, all though, after a closer look at him, she discovered him to be rather high. He came over and gave her a fond kiss on the lips and then went over to sit on the couch with Goten.

  Kuri sat there mute for a moment and brought a finger slowly up to her lips. There had been a kiss there. There was a shiver running through her entire body. Trunks had kissed her. She stopped that thought right there. He hadn’t kissed her, the drugs had. She sighed, and a tear threatened in her eye. She knew why she was unhappy. She sensed that Goten and Trunks were becoming more and more enamored with each other, and yet she was left out. And she wanted to be a part of that. The realization shook her. She sighed and smiled at the two.

“I’m glad that you had a good time at the party.”

  Trunks smiled and wrapped an arm around Goten’s shoulder. “Yeah, it was fun, there was lots of stuff there to try. It’s too bad you weren’t there. Why’d you stay home?”

  Kuri shrugged. “I’m not much of a party person.”

  Trunks grinned a foolish grin. “Oh.”

  As she watched, the purple haired boy turned to Goten with a rather serious expression on his face.

“Goten, you realize that I’m so high that I can’t see straight and so are you?”

  The other boy nodded. Trunks continued. “It’s weird, but I’m thinking more clearly now than I have in a long time. I want to tell you something.”

  Trunks had been drawing ever closer to the dark haired boy sitting next to him. “What Trunks-kun?” Goten asked in an uncharacteristically husky voice.

  Trunks whispered in his ear, his lips brushing the other boy’s ear. “I love you Son Goten. And I’m going to kiss you.”

  There was no objection from Goten. Indeed he seemed rather happy to accept such a gesture. It started out a slow thing, but not clumsy, as both boys had a little experience under their belt. Kuri watched with morbid fascination at the scene unfolding before her. Never would she have expected to see something like this in her living days, it was both erotic and unusual all in an instant. Outside it started to rain, adding the chorus of a thousand drops singing their death throes as they hit he ground. The candles flickered, adding the perfect atmosphere to what was happening.

  It was a lover’s kiss. It was a kiss of unrequited love. And it was very quickly turning into more than a kiss. Kuri grabbed her pencil and flipped to a fresh sheet of paper. She had always been good drawing portraits and things of the like. This might be her last chance to see something like this, so she might as well get something out of it.

 By the end of that evening two men were lying in each other’s arms feeling more fulfilled than they ever had in their lives. And woman sat there, pencil still in hand, trying to resist the urge to jump one of them and fuck them until she felt better too. Quelling that thought by thinking about a fat guy in a speedo Kuri grabbed a blanket and draped it over the two sleeping and * naked* men and left the room, blowing out the candles and letting them have their rest together.

  After that one evening of the party Goten and Trunks grew quickly into the role of lovers. The way that they loved each other was beautiful. They understood each other the way few could. It could truly be said that they were indeed soulmates.

  This was not to say that Kuri was left alone and out in the cold through all of this. Beside the obvious bonus of just being able to watch them make-out, she was allowed to join in from time to time. They boys loved her as a friend and sister, and knew that she needed that kind of a thing as well. It was nothing as serious as what stirred in their hearts, but they loved her as well, both of them together. And it was all good.

  One day the three were in the large living room of the place. Kuri was, as always, sitting on the couch curled up with one of her sketch books. Goten and Trunks were sitting on another couch and Goten’s foot was twitching along with the music that played in the background. It was almost a tango, something close, with a definite Latin beat to it. Apparently it was too much for him, because he jumped up and started to dance. Kuri looked at him inquisitively.

“What’cha doing Goten?”

  The boy in question was dancing his heart out with his own natural grace and grinning ear to ear.

“What does it look like?”

  She smiled. “It looks to me like you’re shaking your fat ass around to music.”

“His ass isn’t fat.” Came a defensive comment from somewhere in Trunks’ vicinity. She smiled at him.

“Yosh, only kidding.”

   After a moment Trunks got up and danced too, and pretty soon he was swinging Goten around, grinning laughing and having fun. She overheard something that he said to Goten over the sound of the music.

“Remember three things, work, love and dance.”

  Apparently it was something between the two that she didn’t know about because Goten only smiled and nodded. A slow song came on. They drew ever slowly closer until they kissed. Kuri smiled. That was something that precious few would ever have; a love so deep as theirs.

  How could she know in that moment that it would all change?

  A month latter Goten was down with a cold. This in itself was odd, but he seemed to be fine, beside being a little sniffly. Kuri was happy to attend him. She didn’t mind being sick, it had happened to her before on occasion and she wasn’t afraid of it. He laughed and then sneezed as she walked in one day, socked feet barely making any noise against the wood paneling that made up the floor of his room.

 She came bearing food and drink, and maybe a little bit of good company to go with the eatables. She grinned at the boy, stuck in bed with the most pathetic look on his face that she could imagine.

“How are you feeling Goten?”

  He sighed and looked at the ceiling as if for inspiration. “Well, to put it very politely, I’ve felt better. To be very crude, right now I feel like shit.”

  She nodded, blue hair falling into her face. “Hai, that’s what I thought you might say. I brought you some good stuff. Eat up!”

  He grinned at her. “You really spoil me.”

  She shook her head. “No, that’s Trunks’ job, I just do the up keep.”

 Goten shrugged. “Well I don’t know, I think that Trunks would be lost if he were forced to cook some of the things that you do.”

  She smiled. “Are you hitting on me Son Goten? I don’t think Trunks would be very happy with something like that.”
 
  Goten blushed. “No, I’m not hitting on you, but I never said that I’m fully gay, bi is a good way to be too you know.”

  Kuri growled, her tail lashing. “I swear, you men think only with the head between your legs.”

  He caught her tail as it chanced into his reach and he brought it to his mouth and bit it. Kuri yelped as a flash of pain worked through her system.

“HEY! Hands off the goods. Biting that will get you no where.”

  Goten shrugged. She growled. “Keep that up and you won’t get fed, I’ll leave it to Trunks. And I have a feeling that if I do you’ll be starving to death.”

  Goten’s face took on a serious look. “No, I don’t think so. He likes me too much to let me waste away.”

 Kuri’s face softened. “Hai, I think you’re right. Now roll over, I’m going to work on your shoulders.”

  Goten rolled over obediently, his bare shoulders a sight that would stun many. She cracked her knuckles in a playful manner and then stretched her long fingers and flexed them, getting ready for an activity that she enjoyed very much. She’d done this sort of thing for a long time, ever since they were kids. She had a soothing touch, and she used it when she could. Whenever one of the boys had been distressed or unwell she’d rubbed backs and necks, taking pain away with gentle touches and pressures. Now she was determined to make the young man lying near her feel well again too. She applied her fingers to the task, her fingers biting ever so slightly into soft and supple skin. She worked silently, with no sound in the room save the sounds generated by the slight motions of Goten readjusting himself to become more comfortable, or the sound of the sheets rustling ever so slightly with the motion of Kuri herself. Through a few hours that seemed to be timeless she wound the tension out of the young man and after only a little while he basked in the hands of relaxation and a pleasant euphoria.

  A calm and husky voice sounded from somewhere near the pillow at the head of the bed.

“Kuri-cha…”

  She never stopped working her fingers over his back. There was still a little bit of knotted muscle that she wanted to work with.

“Nani Goten?”

“Could you stop now?”

  She frowned. “Am I hurting you?”

  He shook his head ever so slightly informing her of the negative. “No, not at all. I was just tired. I was wondering if you would sing to me.”

   Kuri smiled. Another carryover from very old times. She wasn’t sure if she remembered what it was that she used to sing to him.

“What did I sing to you Goten-kun?”

  His half lidded eyes told her that he really was tired. “I think it went something like this…”
 
He hummed a few bars. The tune jumped back into her mind. It was something that she had sung in her old dialect. The water dialect. She smiled at him, scooting ever so slightly closer, running a hand in even circles over his back now, rather than working to take away any sort of tension. She started to sing. It wasn’t a beautiful sound, but it was not unpleasant either. It was graceful and flowing in an ethereal sort of a way.

  Very soon she saw his breathing even out and his eyes shut tightly, heralding into a place of silence and dreams. She sighed. How innocence manifested even now that he was older, while he slept. She kept rubbing for a while, just for consistency and because it felt good. Trunks walked in and leaned in the doorway, silently observing the girl that sat with his boyfriend, her long tail curling and re-curling in lazy wiles, her blue eyes sparkling ever so slightly with worry. She never turned and looked at him, never stopped the motion of rubbing Goten’s back, but she spoke, softly as to not disturb the sleeper.

“What do you want Trunks-kun?”

  Trunks walked over and leaned on her shoulder, settling his weight evenly between her shoulders and his feet. “I wanted to check on him. And on you.”

  She smiled affectionately at her longtime friend. “I’m just fine. I’m a little worried about him though. He’s starting to get a fever.”

  Trunks frowned, his eyebrows drawing together, knitting with concern. “How can you tell?”

  Kuri reached up and took one of Trunks’ hands, guiding it to rest on Goten’s back. Trunks frowned as he felt how heated the young man’s skin was. He moved his hand up to move once through the boy’s hair. He sat down on the bed, trying not to jostle Goten. Kuri moved over slightly, accommodating Trunks’ larger frame. As she looked at him, she realized that Trunks didn’t look all that well either.

“Have you been sleeping well Trunks-kun?”

 He looked distantly thoughtful, not attentive to her question. “No, not really.”

  She frowned. “I think you should lay down and nap right now, I don’t want you getting sick too.”

  Trunks nodded, still looking at Goten’s slightly flushed cheeks, and semi-peaceful countenance. He looked over to Kuri.

“You don’t think it’s anything that serious do you?”

  She shook her head. “No, don’t worry yourself over it Trunks. Just sleep. Curl up with him if you want.”

  Trunks nodded, slipping off his jacket, exposing a tank-top underneath it. He slid under the covers with Goten, hugging the other boy close. Kuri started to hum, lulling them both into a deeper, more restful sleep.

  Trunks opened an eye as the footsteps of his friend receded. He didn’t mean her ill, but he wanted some time alone with Goten. The said boy was sleeping so soundly that Freezer could have very well come straight down on their heads and he wouldn’t have known it.
 
   Trunks reached out a pale hand and stroked his fingers through Goten’s coarse hair, running his fingers over his face, feeling the flush in his pale cheeks. Trunks found himself frowning, his skin should be darker, and yet he looked severely pale. It wasn’t anything good at all. Goten stirred beneath his touches, murmering slightly to himself and looking to his lover with sleep dulled eyes.

“Nanda Trunks?”

  Trunks quelled a couple of errant thoughts at the sound of the other boy’s husky, sexy voice. He leaned forward and kissed Goten, saying nothing for a moment, running his hands down his face and giving himself a minute to cherish that which he had.

“I was worried about you.”

  From where he was curled up, the pillow half obstructing his view, Goten caught that look. He uncurled and stretched out, his bare skin almost glowing in the dim lighting of the room. He was waiting for Trunks’ reaction. He was unconsciously testing the other boy; seeing if Trunks was still as turned on by him as Goten was by he. There was a small sigh from the other side of the bed and the sound of sheets rustling as Trunks slipped out of the boxers that he had been wearing. He leaned over, his long purple hair brushing Goten’s face as he kissed him, his tongue twining with the younger boys, letting him know just how much he was appreciated. It seemed that his hand was almost errant as it slipped down to unbutton the single button that held Goten’s boxers closed.

  Trunks moved so that he was straddling the younger man. Goten stared up at him, lust beginning to spark in his eyes. He had to say something. Anything, to heighten his anticipation of the time to come.

“Is that all that you love me for? My body?”

  Trunks grinned wickedly. “You could say that.”

  He picked up one of Goten’s hands and took one of his fingers into his mouth and sucked playfully. He let the digit go and grinned, a dark and smoky look hiding in his eyes.

“I love your hands.”

  He moved up further, kissing Goten’s collar bone, running his tongue slowly along his skin. He nipped ever so slightly at the boy’s neck and grinned at the little gasp that he elicited.

“I love your entire body. Every beautiful inch of it. But, that’s not all I love you for.”

  Goten stared up at the young man above him and smiled, his faith in such fragile things as love and trust once again reaffirmed by his dark, beautiful lover.

  Trunks leaned on his chest, balancing out his weight so that he wouldn’t squish the man below him.

“I love you for your smile, I love you for your style, I love you for your lame-ass jokes and your ability to make me feel better whenever I’m around you. And so many other things.”

  Trunks kissed him again, a hand straying southward. His lips were right next to Goten’s ear. He took advantage of the position, whispering in a low voice, his lips brushing Goten’s ear, making him shiver.

“I love to make you feel good.”

  Goten let out a sharp gasp as Trunks stroked him, hitting the perfect spot with almost no effort at all.

  Trunks lips were still close to his ear. “And I love the way that you make me feel.”

  Trunks warm hand cupped his balls, massaging, playing, toying with him in just the right ways.

“Trunks-kun…”

    Trunks smiled at the boy below him. “What Goten?”

   The boy had no question or answer. The simple statement of the name was enough to convey what he wanted. Trunks changed his position, falling back on his knees, a mischievous glint in his eyes. He rubbed his hands slowly down Goten’s flat stomach, massaging, tickling, making the boy laugh and gasp in the same moments with simple, exquisite touches.

  He brought his hands down further, one still engaged with ‘playing with the balls’ as it were, while the other came up to stroke the inside of one hip, teasing. There was a long-suffering sigh from the head of the bed. Trunks raised an eyebrow and stopped all motion. Goten growled, a feral sound that did not sound at all like him.

“Iie, don’t stop.”
 
  His tone softened ever so slightly. “Onegai?”

  How could Trunks resist such a voice? Such a gentle, childish, trusting sort of a voice. He couldn’t, and he wouldn’t.

   He bent his head down, taking the very tip of Goten into his mouth and sucking twice, experimentally. He smiled at the reaction given. He ran his hands up Goten’s legs, up his thighs to let his hands rest on the boys’ hips.

“What do you want Goten?”

  There was a pause. There was aggravation in the silence. Goten knew that Trunks knew what he wanted. And he also knew that all he had to do was ask for it, and yet he didn’t know how to ask. Trunks smiled, brushing some hair out of his face.

“I know what you want.” He said, speaking softly.

  He bent back down and took Goten fully into his mouth, running his tongue around and about, letting more in and out as it pleased him, taunting and teasing, deaf to the soft endearment and loud demands that floated through. He wouldn’t have any of it, he would work on his own time and no one else’s, not even Goten.

  He smiled to himself, ever so lightly biting and hearing Goten give something resembling a squeal. He watched the boy’s muscles tense, as he tried to hold himself in, tried to keep this moment of pleasure going, and to keep Trunks with him. It was a futile effort. He came, arching his back, letting out a long deep groan, his enflamed skin teasing Trunks, pushing him to do more than he had all ready done.

  Trunks rose up, leaning his elbows on Goten’s stomach, looking at him with an air of supremacy and extreme amusement, his tongue darting to lick some stray remnants of what had just occurred off of his mouth.

  Goten lay there panting, stuck in the euphoria and afterglow of the pleasure that he had gotten. He looked up at Trunks, grinning like an idiot and stated in a low voice.

“You’re constantly improving with that aren’t you Trunks-kun?”

  Trunks smiled. “I’m glad you improve of my technique.”

  Goten began to sit up on his elbows, getting ready to return the pleasure that he had been afforded. He was almost all the way up when he paused, a peculiar look crossing his face. He was silent for a moment and then started to cough violently, great things that shook his entire frame. Trunks stood off to one side, not really sure what to do. Goten sat all the way up, so as to be better able to breath. He continued to cough and Trunks’ face grew increasingly worried.

“Goten, are you all right?”

  The sound of hacking subsided and Goten fell back against the pillows exhausted.

“I’m fine Trunks-kun,” came a tired sounding voice from the head of the bed.

  Trunks looked up at his lover passively and saw that his hands were an odd color. Trunks looked closer curious and then recoiled. There was blood splattered across his palm. He had been coughing up blood! Trunks grabbed his boxers off of the floor and wiped the mess off Goten’s hand. He came up and sat with him, stroking a hand possessively through Goten’s hair.

“You’re going to the hospital tomorrow.”

  A flash of fear played across Goten’s face. “But Trunks…they have needles in hospitals…”

   Trunks cupped his face and planted a reassuring kiss on his nose. “Don’t worry about that. I’ll male sure that they don’t mistreat you.”

  Goten stared up at him, still in many ways resembling a child. “You promise?”

  Trunks nodded. “Hai, I promise.”

  Kuri walked in latter that evening to find the two curled up as they had been when she had left. That didn’t disillusion her to anything. She knew full and well that they had needed some together time. That’s why she had left. Now they were curled up again. And it looked like Trunks was worried about something. She always knew when he was worried about something. She could tell because his eyebrows drew together like his father’s. It was a dead giveaway every time.

  She sighed, walking into her room, letting her tank top drop from her shoulders, walking naked to her bed. She undid her hair and let it all fall down. She had come to the laborious task of combing it all out. It was a LOT of hair, stretching way past her waist, in truth almost to her feet. She grabbed a brush that she had commissioned for just such and undertaking and started to brush away, slowly, working knots out of midnight woven into strands. It would have been much easier if she had someone with her to help. She sighed. The entire week had been looking down; and more and more it seemed to her as if she would have to get a job where she would be stuck behind a desk all day. That was one of her biggest nightmares. Right along in there with dying alone. Two of the things that she would hate most. Being alone especially, whether in death or life. Just as she was now…unbidden, tears were streaming down her face, wetting her skin. She tried to brush them away at first, but more and more came. She finally gave into temptation, curling herself into a ball of legs and arms she wept, crying so forcefully that it felt that her heart might break. Her thoughts were incoherent, but overall she knew that she had been living a lie these past few months. She was desperate for someone to love.

  She had been deluding herself, trying to worm her way into a love that was reserved for two and two only. Trunks and Goten fit together as two pieces of a puzzle might. They were both demi-Sayajin and had known each other forever. They were also almost polar opposites, Goten being light and carefree while Trunks was dark and brooding. She had thought that she might share in some of that warmth and affection. They were willing, to a point, but she knew that if it came straight down to it, they would think first of each other and then her. Her sobs came to a choked stop for a moment when she realized that she almost had a role of a parasite in this, feeding off of the relationship of the two others. She stopped her tears there. What right had she to be crying? The situation wasn’t that bad. She sighed and brought the brush back into her hands and started again to slowly brush out the long, luxurious strands. She didn’t know how long she sat there, brushing, brushing, always in a constant rhythm were there was the sounds of footsteps in the hall. She looked up to see Trunks leaning in the doorway observing her.

“What do you want Trunks-kun?”

  Trunks raised his eyebrows at the sad tone of her voice. “You have a lot of hair.”

“I know.”

  He watched as she kept on brushing, completely unmindful of her bare body. Strands of royal blue, of a hue that his father often wore hung down on skin that was as pale and perfect as fine china. He walked in and sat down next to her.

“What’s wrong Kuri-chan?”

  She looked up at her old pet name and he caught sight of her eyes, still red from crying. He frowned and moved a hand to her face, only to let it slowly trace down her cheek and drop.

“Why were you crying?”

  She was silent for a moment and he ventured to speak again. “You have to talk to me. You always forced me to talk to you when there was something wrong with me. I always remember that you listened, even though most of the time you couldn’t do anything about it, you always had something good to say, and something to make me and Goten feel better, whether it was playing catch or sparring. You could always make everything right again.”

  He trailed off for a moment in thought. “Even through touch…”   She nodded slowly. She was turned away from him then, hiding her face from his concerned blue eyes.

  Trunks put his warm hands on her shoulders, trying to get her to loosen up. She wouldn’t tell him what was wrong. Not right then. She tensed ever so slightly, but after a moment let her shoulders slump, as if she had been defeated. He started to massage her shoulders, working his hands in small circles, trying to get her to take her mind off of the things that were on her mind and let her simply thing of the feeling of touch. After a little while she leaned back against his front, her head lowered, her chin resting on her collar bone. He moved his hands down to her lower back, letting her lean on him. He nuzzled her neck ever so slightly and then spoke while leaning his head on her shoulder.

“Now what’s wrong Kuri?”

“I feel bad Trunks.”

“Why?”

“Because I realize that the life that I’ve been ‘living’ is a lie. I’ve been lying to myself.”

  Trunks frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I’ve been lying to myself when I believed that I could ever match Goten in your eyes, or you in Goten’s eyes. You care about me, but you don’t love me, you love each other. I’m like a sister…um, bad analogy, well, like a casual girlfriend. There.”

  Trunks frowned again. “I thought you were happy this way.”

  She sighed deeply. “I thought that I was too. Apparently not.”

  Trunks sighed, his breath tickling her neck. “I suppose I could….”

  Kuri shook her head. “No, you don’t have to. Pleasures of the flesh are great, but not if there aren’t feelings behind them.”

  Trunks nodded. “What do you want me to do?”

  Kuri rose, and walked over to her dresser and opened it. She took something out and then walked back over to the bed and sat again. Trunks gave her an inquisitive look.

“Open it!”

  He did. Inside there were two silver rings. Trunks looked at them with an air of idiocy. Kuri sighed and looked heavenward.

“Trunks, they’re promise rings.”

“huh?”

“Basically wedding rings, when you give one of these it’s like asking the person to stay with you forever. Marriage without a church type of thing.”

  Trunks nodded slowly. “What do I do with them?”

  Kuri got in his face, her intense blue eyes catching his own. “I want you to give one to Goten. You two are that close. Don’t screw around, he’s the one.”

  Trunks stared down at the two silver bands and suddenly recollection dawned on his face. He grinned at her and threw his arms about her shoulders, pulling her into a hug.

“DOMO ARIGATO!”

  She smiled. “It’s no problem Trunks. I knew that if I didn’t do something that you’d never get around to it and you two would be ‘boyfriends’ forever!”

   She kissed his nose and tickled his ribs with her tail. He took another moment hugging her and then released her.

  He gathered a strange look and spoke, his eyes never leaving her.

“You know, if Goten wasn’t here, things might have been different.”

  Kuri let out a slow sigh. “I know it Trunks, now go to him. And be ready to go to the doctor’s in the morning. I’m getting you both checked out.”

   Goten awoke entangled in Trunks’ arms, sharing the warmth of his body. The other boy’s hair was in his eyes, hiding them from view. Goten smiled at the sight, but his features fell back into complacency. He didn’t feel any better today. That worried him. Even with a cold he should have been better by now. And he was freezing. Even though it was summer he was almost shivering, and he huddled against Trunks, savoring the warmth of his body. The other stirred and smiled at him, that lazy, sexy smile that he love so much.

“’morning Goten.”

  Goten smiled at Trunks, leaning forward and kissing his nose. “G’morning Trunks.”
 
   They both almost laughed at the sound of Goten’s voice, or the almost complete lack thereof. He had lost his voice. Trunks sat up and something clinked around his neck. He had something in his hand as well. Goten was curious. Trunks got up and then got down in front of the bed, down on one knee. ‘

“Goten, I’ve got something to ask you.”

“Nani?”

“I promise you my heart, my soul and my body, all yours forever and as long as you want them. Goten… will you stay with me?”

  Goten blinked as pure shock and an electric thrill ran through him. Trunks had just gone and done pretty much the equivalent of asking him to marry him. He had lost his voice completely by then. He looked at the simple silver band that Trunks held out to him in one hand and slipped it onto his ring finger, nodding, his eyes shining in happiness.

  Trunks was smiling as well. He got back up on the bed and sat down next to his lover, bringing him into his arms tightly and smiling as deeply as he was able. This was the happiest day of his life!

 -About three hours later, the waiting room of the hospital.-

“Ms. Le Fey?”

   Kuri looked up from the issue of LIFE magazine that she had been reading.

“Yes?”

 “The doctor just told me to tell you that the test results are in. You can go and see him and the two young men down in the I wing. Just down the hall hon.”

  Kuri rose, replacing the magazine and smiled at the homely nurse, round and full of good cheer.

“Arigato!”

   When she entered the room it was too silent. She looked over at the two boys with a questioning look. Neither would meet her eyes. They were holding hands, fingers interlaced tightly, both faces grim. Kuri looked over to the doctor, standing there and working on some paper work.

“What’s wrong sir?”

  The doctor looked up, her eyes radiating compassion and pity. “I’m sorry to have to tell you this. We did a little testing and your friends are confirmed to be HIV positive. In fact, in Goten’s case, it’s all ready turned into full blown AIDS.”

  Kuri’s eyes widened to the size of saucers and her face drained of almost all color. She looked in that moment like she was a walking corpse.

“Oh_My_God…”

   She sat down slowly, sinking down the wall and yanking some hairs from her tail. She hit the tiling and put a hand on her face, unable to believe that such a thing could be possible. Why on such a happy day? In the car they had told her about their arrangement, and the promise rings and everything. Why on such a happy day? Why something like this?

  The doctor stepped out of the room and left. This was so common a sight, and yet each time, it got no easier.

-Pass Two Months-

  Kuri walked in, holding a bundle of roses. She opened the window that had been shut that morning, due to wind. She knew that Trunks liked a little fresh air. Bulma and Vegeta had already been through, and so had Chichi and Gohan, right along with Pan, who even now grown up, was still attached to her uncle. They had all come and gone and now it was her turn. She set the flowers in one of the many vases and came over to sit down on her friend’s bed. He was sleeping, his hallowed cheeks shadowed in the fluorescent lighting.

  She ran a hand lightly down his cheek, knowing that he slept in a light doze and would most likely wake again soon anyway. She was right. He woke up slowly, coughing ever so slightly and then letting his eyes come into focus on his new visitor. He smiled as he saw it was she.

“Hi Kuri, what brings you here?”

  She smiled at him. “I thought I’d drop in and check on my sickies.”

  Trunks smiled again and then frowned, one hand rubbing the small silver band on the other. “Goten hasn’t woken up. I don’t think that he ever will. It’s all the machines now, but Chichi refuses to let him go.”

  Kuri nodded. She hated to think that the boy might be yet suffering. It had been obviously hard for him to say goodbye to Trunks and the rest of his family and friends. It would be better of Chichi to just let him go. Yet it was her choice. And maybe it was she that wasn’t ready to let him go and admit that her baby boy was really gone.

  Kuri took Trunks’ hand. She didn’t really care if he didn’t want the attention he was going to get it. He had lost one person that loved him, he wasn’t going to be ignored by the other, even if he didn’t love her back. She sighed, leaning back against the bed-frame and thinking back to happier times.

“Trunks?” Her voice came suddenly after an elongated silence.

“Hm?”

“What were those three things that you and Goten had always talked about?”

  Trunks stared at her with eyes that were too tired for his face. And then he smiled slowly, remembering. He began to speak, his tired voice filled once again with some sort of emotion.

“Work like you don’t really need to, if you’re working because you think there’s no way out, then it’s never fun.”

  He paused and took a breath. “Love, as if you’ve never been hurt.” He ran a hand down her cool cheek and smiled at her, this advice given to her especially. “That first love can be the purest and deepest thing that one will ever feel.”  His glance stole over to the figure that lay still only a few feet away, the pure spirit within gone.

“And finally Kuri, dance, like there’s no one watching.”

  Tears came to both of their eyes as they thought back to that balmy day in March when the duo had danced in the living room. Trunks caught her eyes again and he gave her a gentle smile.

“Those Kuri, are the secrets to life.”

  His gentle blue eyes closed. She grimaced, her heart torn. She could see how desperately he wanted to join Goten, his other half for so long now. That boy had been one of the most active participants in Trunks’ life, and now he was gone. She laced her fingers with Trunks’ unnaturally cool ones and squeezed ever so slightly, offering silent support. This was going to be a long haul for him.

“You know what Kuri?”

  She looked down to the boy that was lying there, his eyes still closed, almost looking lost in thought or pain, most likely both.

“What?”

“I know what gave it to us.”

“You mean the AIDS?”

“Yeah.”

“What?”

“It wasn’t us Kuri, both of us were clean before hand. It was that one part in January, a couple of years back. Goten and I got drunk and stoned so much that we couldn’t see straight. And you know what. One needle was passed around a group of almost one hundred druggies.”

  Kuri’s breath caught in her throat. That had probably been it. A breeze stirred through curtains that hung in front of the window. Her hair hit her face and she brushed it out of the way, annoyed. When she looked back down to Trunks she saw he was crying.

“What’s wrong?”

“Kuri, it’s my fault! Goten didn’t want to do the heroin, I suggested and so we both did it together. If we hadn’t done that then he would still be alive right now.”

  More tears streamed down from closed eyes and Kuri was stirred to silence. She couldn’t say anything there. He had a point. She leaned down and hugged him, feeling his head sink onto her shoulder, cupped in her neck and his tears soaking into the material of her blouse. She held still tighter, trying to comfort he who would not be consoled, and knowing that she too would soon face this, she’d been together with them and had tested positive. Somehow it seemed a waste, dying for such a little thing as a moment of pleasure….
 

-EnD-