Ai waited patiently as Ryuu found his way into the ring. She could feel her husband's gaze on her, from... somewhere. She knew he was watching.
//I'm sorry for everything, itooshii...//
Ryuu bowed politely to her, wishing her luck in a murmur. Ai returned it, and rose fully upright once more. She turned her right foot outwards slightly, noting that Ryuu preferred to wait until she'd chosen a stance to select one of his own.
Ai's right foot slid back, left readjusting, left hand coming up to defend, right pulling back and down to strike. The index finger of her left hand extended; she sighted cautiously along it.
Ryuu took a similar position, with the peculiar marked differences of a close yet definably different discipline. He began with no words, roundhouse kick aimed above her arm's defense. Ai threw her weight into the block, and was left off-balance as Ryuu demonstrated a remarkable speed in coming in to attempt an exploit of her defensive distraction.
Ai skipped backward a large step, closely pursued. She knocked a crusading fist aside and caught the other wrist as another punch followed. She jerked the wrist forward, going into a mid-air kick that caught him in the temple and forced him to fall back a step and recover his guard. Ai pressed at him, but most of her next punches were blocked.
//Maybe I'll teach you the definition of economical movement!// Ai moved back and took two gasping breaths as Ryuu's eyes slid over her, considering.
He was moving forward before she had realized, one fist parting the air with what she swore was an audible _crack!_ over her ear. It put him in very close to her, and she used the opportunity to rapid-punch in his stomach. She tried to move away before he caught her, but it was too late.
Ryuu threw Ai to the ring, not letting his grip go and pulling her back up quickly. She struggled in something annoyingly close to a headlock for a moment, before taking a huge breath and hauling on his arms as hard as she could as she dropped. He flew over her shoulder onto the tile.
Ryuu rolled a time or two before landing in a crouching position. He froze in place, regarding her.
Ai took her stance again, and after a moment where the crowd surged to fill her ears, Ryuu came to his feet as well, regaining some stability. All at once he grinned. She didn't blame him; it was the most fun she'd had in a while.
"I have a little trick, Ai." So that was what his smile was about!
"By all means, I'd be delighted to witness your magic trick." Ai murmured with a slight smile. She relaxed her guard until her body wasn't tense, but kept the guard up.
A light started to glow between Ryuu's palms. Ai gasped, and so did the announcer, who was familiar with the energy attacks that had been used at previous tournaments. A large ball of heated energy gathered, so close it made Ai's skin prickle, and the crowd murmured in astonishment.
"Haaaahh!" The attack was launched toward her.
Ai could see Trunks in her mind, frowning as he explained. //"Your energy will keep you safe..."//
//Thank god for that training!//
A light spread itself between her and the attack, and Ai felt the heat flow away to either side as her energy was drained.
Ryuu dropped to his knees with the sudden weakening of his capabilities.
"I have a trick too! Masen..ko!" Ai shot the concentrated energy toward him, a technique Trunks had also taught her, as being one of Gohan's favorites.
Ryuu suffered some of the initial onslaught, but managed to erect a barrier of his own to ward the attack away.
They stood still for a moment, and Ai distinctly heard a comment that sounded like, "At least they didn't blow up the roof this time."
Ryuu climbed to his feet, and brought himself into a new defensive position, which was exhausted but flawless as far as Ai could tell. Knowing she would be unable to directly counter it, Ai dropped her fists and ran directly at him. After seeing his eyes widen, Ai leapt into the air, copying the move she had seen Rei use from the sidelines.
Ryuu spun as she landed, and Ai paused only to take a breath and flex her knees, leaping backwards over his head again, adding a kick to the back of his neck as she re-adjusted her course to land beside him instead of in front as she would have originally, planting her knee deep into his stomach, seeing him slide down. He grabbed her ankle, bringing
her onto her back and aiming a punch down. She dodged, his fist hit tile.
Ai could feel her head start to spin slightly as he grabbed her neck, and she brought her knees up, pushing at him until he was forced to scrabble for a grip on her arm. Her bare feet slid... and a cry was wrenched from her throat as her arm moved in a horrible direction.
Ryuu pulled away with a shocked expression, and Ai struggled to her feet holding her elbow to her side. It throbbed, the whole arm aching dully against her side as she held it hanging at an awkward angle. Ryuu gathered himself quickly from his surprise, and put on a determined face.
//Alright... end it.//
Ai studied him slowly, and did the only thing she could think to do to enable her to fight and try to keep her arm from becoming more injured. She loosened the knot in her belt, and tied it tightly once again as she painfully slid her arm until it was strapped against her side, as comfortable as she could make it.
//Iku zo.//
Leaping in suddenly, Ai threw a punch at Ryuu's face that was knocked aside. She concentrated on blocks and punches, kicking high with her feet aiming for his face. Kicks were not his favorite move, but he delivered them judiciously. At one point he tried an exceptionally tricky move. //He'll be expecting me to move now-!//
She didn't and Ryuu finished the kick almost as an afterthought. //Soon, keep going...//
Again he punched, again, then worked in another kick, starting to concentrate almost fully on his punches again.
The moment Ai had been waiting for. His next kick was rather clumsy due to a last-minute punch from Ai. She kicked hard at his shin and swept her foot across in the other direction at his ankle. He toppled, Ai caught him but the shoulder and pinched
hard- hitting the nerve cluster she'd learned of in her college classes. He was out like a light.
Ai couldn't believe it. It had seemed to be way too short! She stumbled back a step, and then another, unable to keep herself from moving. She stumbled into the announcer who caught her arm in the midst of his words. There was a resounding crack and Ai yipped and fell onto her rear, pulling the arm from her belt and holding it to her chest, as it still ached bitterly.
"Yatta.." Ai muttered to herself, as the medics came out to examine her arm, taking her out of the ring and back into the building to get fully checked over.

Shiro took off out of the stands like someone possessed, running down the stairs so quickly he was surprised he didn't fall on his face. It took more effort to get admitted to the medical center than to find it, but, fortunately, they didn't really oppose him after he'd informed them that he was Ai's husband.
She was sitting on the edge of a bed with her arm in a brace, sitting and frowning at it as he entered the room.
"Ai-chan," Shiro said softly, gasping.
"Shiro..." her gaze rose to meet his, and she tilted her head slightly and gave him a little smile. "Foolish man. You didn't have to kill yourself getting here, you know."
Shiro ignored her, moving over to stand in front of her and take her chin in his hands, kissing her gently for a long moment, before pulling back and murmuring, "I'm glad you're okay."
"Shiro," she began, "Gomen ne-"
"Hush. Let it go for now, kay? It doesn't matter." He said it firmly, and she found herself believing it.
Trunks came in a moment later, coming to Ai's side and asking as to her condition.
"Other than my arm I feel perfectly fine, but they haven't released me yet." Ai frowned at the doorway, and Shiro wrapped an arm around her shoulders as Trunks commented on the fight.
"You did a good job, Ai-chan. Your energy attacks have improved."
"Thanks go to you," Ai returned.
"Goten is fighting now. Are you going to stay and watch?" Trunks looked between them, and Shiro gave Ai a reluctant look. After a moment Ai shook her head, saying "As soon as they let me go I think I want to go home; competition or no."
"Alright then," Trunks said. He sighed heavily at something that passed through his own head, and Shiro gave him a curious look.
"Sorry for the wait, Takeuchi-san," the doctor said, coming in. "We ran some extra tests on you when we found an odd reading on your blood test when we brought you back in."
"Blood test?" Shiro asked with a furrowed brow.
The doctor laughed. "You're pregnant!"
There was silence in the room.
"Congratu...lations?" the doctor tried again, and Trunks looked at the floor beside him, nudging Shiro's unconscious form with his toe a couple times before shrugging.

Trunks went through the motions of competition twelve more times before the one he'd been... "waiting" for. The inevitable fight against Goten. It happened at a lower level this time, and Goten was in the ring already, waiting, Trunks could see him with one hand at his hip, the other wiping some sweat from his forehead.
//He looks beautiful when he's working so hard... -mind on business!// What was that that caught the sun occasionally when Goten moved?
Trunks moved into the ring, resigned to the fight.
//Okay, so it's true; it's all my fault, and I'm insensitive. But I'm sorry now, I don't want this fight...!// He sighed and brought himself to a stop across from Goten.
Goten's eyes were unreadable, looking directly across at him, blowing his perceptions of everyone and everything else away for the moment.
//I'm sorry!//
//Too late...// he replied to himself.
Goten assumed a stance, and Trunks took a deep breath coming up to defend. //Why are we here?//
"Concentrate, Trunks," Goten said, startling him. "I won't fight you if you don't pay attention!"
//How can he tell... and does it really matter?//
Goten's hand shifted slightly higher. There was a flash, poking a point of white light into his vision and leaving an afterimage.
//It.. it's his ring.//
Trunks' own hand was shifted slightly upward, and he could see the band on his own finger.
//Why the hell am I here? I don't want this.//
He could remember that day... it was about six years now? //Maybe nearly seven, since we got married.// He could remember that day, standing at the front of the church, looking over the assembled faces of those present. Bra sat with her baby in her arms, the older one taking turns coming to her and running up and down the aisle.
Gohan talked with Videl, unable to stop the occasional frown from hitting his face. He looked highly uncertain of how well this union, hell, even the ceremony would go. Pan sat with her young daughter, who crawled over the pew giggling before being picked up and held by her father, a young man named Yusuke whom Pan had met in her late teens.
Their faces all reflected uncertainty.
Did any of them ever believe it would work out? At that moment Trunks had set himself to showing them that they were wrong, if that was the case. He looked along the aisle and saw Goten standing at the door.
A smile ghosted vaguely across Goten's warm face before dropping out. He looked distinctly pale.
//Everything will be alright; ..hurry, please..//
He could almost swear he heard the reply in his mind; //I'm coming.// .....
Before Trunks could stop himself, he found himself dropping his hands.
"Trunks?"
"Goten, I'm sorry."
The announcer hovered a short distance away, looking concerned.
"What...?" Goten paused, his head tilted slightly in confusion.
"I'm sorry. I can't fight you. This whole stupid fight is totally pointless... and I don't want to fight with you anymore. I give up. I'm sorry."
Trunks turned and walked toward the stairs, shoving his hands in his pockets. He felt as though this was the only graceful way out for either of them. He could feel his children in the stands, kis changing with confusion or realization or whatever they were
experiencing.
"You can't do that, Trunks! Why are we even here?" Goten seemed reluctant to believe. "You can't just let me win! That's not fair!" Goten seemed genuinely upset that he wouldn't face it through.
"Finding out who's stronger to assuage our hurt feelings just isn't important to me anymore. Sometimes even we can take it too far, Goten!" He clenched his fists in his pockets, and Goten was quiet.
"Maybe I've prioritized a little," he allowed finally and totally left the ring.
Goten was declared the winner. The announcer's microphone distinctly picked up, "I quit."
Goten left the ring with no other verbal indication of what had crossed his mind. Quite a few people in the crowd seemed disappointed.
Trunks pulled a towel around his neck as he sat down inside, and rubbed away sweat from the heat of the day and the previous matches. For some reason, he felt quite a bit more relaxed now. //I know what I did was right.//
It didn't stop him from fearing Goten's reaction. Trunks sighed as that came to mind. He pulled the towel up onto his head and rubbed at his sweaty scalp. He heard footsteps enter the silent room and paused, pulling the towel away from his face slowly.
Goten watched him in silence for the longest time. Trunks took a deep breath and tried to return the intense gaze, but soon found himself dropping his head.
"What are you thinking?" Goten demanded.
"It's... " Trunks whispered. "....stupid."
His voice was a little gentler this time, as he said only, "What?"
Trunks shook his head, until Goten moved over to stand in front of him, looking at him with those still-unreadable eyes.
//Our anniversary's coming soon...// Trunks thought, his brain of course offering him the most inane information. //Not at the rate we're going.//
"You're beautiful," Trunks admitted at last, scratching his head and grinning, unable to refrain from blushing. "I always notice when you're angry..."
Goten's face didn't change when Trunks risked a glance, but his presence grew softer imperceptibly.
"Told ya..."
Goten was on one knee in front of him before he realized. "Yes you did. Baka..."
Trunks noticed that Goten's eyes were suddenly full. His own throat tightened. "I'm sorry," he croaked, swallowing hard and laughing at himself.
"Baka... _my_ baka..." Goten reached for him, and Trunks found it impossible to deny.
"We're both stupid," he managed, just as Goten's fingers brushed his lips and silenced him, before pulling Trunks' mouth down to his in a kiss that seared them both into silence, leaning into each other deeper, tongues working passionately, twisting and
tasting. Trunks lost all sense of.. everything, except for Goten, and fell from his seat into him.
Goten grunted slightly as Trunks' weight came onto him, and his hands gripped at his clothing. He pushed him away abruptly, looking back and forth anxiously, back at Trunks, and suddenly dragged him to his feet and into a closet across the room.
"Goten-"
He was interrupted in a pleasantly distracting fashion, and all protests flew from his mind as Goten pulled his chin down the scant inch or so that was necessary for the deep kind of kiss he wanted, kissing him more urgently now, tongue pleading entrance to his mouth, which was quickly granted. He teased and tasted and licked, anything he could think of as he pulled Trunks onto his knees and let his hands slide along his muscular form insistently.
Trunks took a breath, surprised by Goten's sudden forcefulness. His breath was quickly stolen from him, however, when Goten pushed him to the floor, pulling at his gi, tugging it open as his mouth moved to exploit the exposed skin.
"Goten, not here, not now..." Trunks arched into the touch and eventually gave up speech as it went unheeded. He could only feel the gentle touch, the blood rushing through his body with a vengeance, the need to have Goten's hands on him.
Goten's mouth locked with his again as he began slide out of his own clothing to a degree, too hasty to have it all the way off.
All of a sudden light flooded the closet and someone cleared their throat.
"You guys done?" A janitor asked, after gathering his wits about him.
"Uh.." Goten readjusted his clothing. "We'll just be... leaving..." He was blushing slightly, but Trunks could tell that he thought it was funny.
In Ai's room, Shiro had regained consciousness and was sitting in a chair next to her bed, holding her hand. He looked really excited, and they could both tell right away what the conversation was about. Ai looked decidedly less enthusiastic, but she smiled her tight, worried smile at him so that he knew she wasn't upset about the child.
"Tell me what's wrong, Ai-chan," Shiro asked at last when something he said gave her a panicked look. Goten also cocked an eyebrow at her as Trunks went off somewhere.
"I've... I've _heard_ things about childbirth!" Ai exclaimed at last, and Goten coughed several times, uncomfortable with the concept of his daughter having a kid. Shiro sweatdropped slightly, but other than that gave some light laughter and called in a slightly high-pitched voice for a doctor.
Trunks brought Ai some kind of something to drink, and she took it gratefully. Trunks also answered a few of her sudden questions on having a child. Goten felt very grateful for Trunks' presence at that moment. Ai calmed somewhat, and when Shiro squeezed her hand afterward, she smiled. Trunks moved over to Goten, having caught his expression.
"What are you doing?"
"Lookin' at you," Goten replied breezily. Trunks paused with a start as a smile touched even his eyes. It was one phrase that still meant a lot to them. He turned after a moment, though, and watched 'their kids' talking, Shiro drawing Ai fairly quickly into his excitement.
"They're so young!" Trunks exclaimed, for only Goten's hearing.
"I know..." was all Goten could get out.
"... this'll be so great, you know, it'll be a lot of adjustment I bet, but we should move, 'cause I know you wouldn't want our kid growing up where we are.." Shiro paused at his own words, assuming an air of disbelief as he spoke to himself. "Our kid.. _our_ kid, _my_ kid..."
Goten moved over and got to one knee, holding his arms out wide to catch Shiro if he took a tilt. "I don't need that!" Shiro insisted, looking embarrassed. Then he grabbed Goten by the front of his gi and shook him. "I'm gonna have a kid!"
"And I assume that will be difficult?" Goten at last managed drily.
"Shut up!" Shiro pushed him away. "_We're_ having a kid, but it'll be mine too!" Goten was promptly snatched up and shaken repeatedly. "I'm going to have a kid! A daughter! Or a son! A ..little...person-type thing! And she's the mother!" He pointed over his shoulder at Ai before taking firm hold of his father-in-law to shake him again.
Goten lowered his eyebrows. "I should hope so..."
Trunks at last plucked Goten from Shiro's grasp, hauling him back and patting him on the head as he whined about being abused. Shiro was left to his own devices, clutching his fists as he practically bounced up and down. "Ai!"
"Yes dear, I know; we're having a kid."
"Exactly!" His face was suffused with pleasure. "Wow!"
"You wouldn't be saying that if you were me," Ai said as she coughed on her fist.

"No! I hate that name!"
"Which one?"
"_Both_ of them!"
Trunks climbed the stairs doggedly as the shouting continued behind him. He groaned slightly at the thought of several more months of such arguments. As he opened the door to the bedroom, he discovered that he was not the only one with such ideas of refuge.
Goten's head appeared from under a pillow, and one was tossed at Trunks' head before he could comment. "I'll take the hint," Trunks said, climbing onto the bed next to Goten and burying his face in it.
Trunks remembered that look on Goten's face now, the one that was half-exasperated, and half affectionate, from after the tournament. Their family had come down from the stands, and were treated to a double surprise; the two men weren't fighting anymore. But that paled beside Ai's pregnancy, and though Goten complained that she was too young to have children, he was so proud. Nearly as anxious as Shiro, besides.
"I still can't believe she won," Trunks said to Goten as he pulled his head out from under the pillow, looking at the ceiling.
"Who knew?" Goten returned easily enough, knowing without asking that he referred to Rei's having won the Tenka-ichi Budoukai. "Anyway, get over it. That was nearly three months ago." Fortunately, Trunks overlooked his commentary.
"What did I tell you? I said they'd go to the tournament."
"You didn't say it'd take so long." Goten took a breath and sighed slightly, pushing his bangs away from his forehead as he propped his chin on his arms, crossed on the pillow. "I never thought there would be a time when we all fought so much."
"It was stupid," Trunks agreed, turning onto his back and staring at the ceiling. "Goten.."
"I know." Goten turned slightly and kissed him on the cheek. "It gets rough sometimes."
"Do you have any idea what tonight is about?" Trunks asked idly when the conversation seemed to go nowhere fast.
"Wakarimasen, I don't have a clue. What's Keisuke got up his sleeve, I wonder?" Goten blinked at Trunks as he thought.
There was a knock on the door on the tail end of that. Keisuke stuck his head in. "Tou-san?"
"What's up?" Trunks sat up and smiled at him.
"I thought I should inform you that we're having guests for dinner."
"Is that why you asked to cook?"
Keisuke grinned slightly and nodded. He brushed his hair back unconsciously. "I hope you don't mind. I wanted it to be a surprise."
"Uhhhhmmm... okay." Trunks appeared to think it over before agreeing, which Goten and probably Keisuke as well knew was an act. He was as curious as to what was going on as anyone else. "What time's dinner?"
"Half-hour... guys?"
"Yeah?"
"Please don't wear your gis to dinner."
Trunks glanced down at himself, noting that he was starting to sport bruises from his earlier sparring session with Goten. "What's wrong with it?"
"Just you look like bums?" Keisuke said with eyebrows raised in an expression that seemed to be inherited, not picked up from his father.
"I think I'm insulted. Some son you are." Goten sat up, and Keisuke picked up a stray pillow and lobbed it at his head. "I still love you both. Just be good."
"Tell that to Ai and Shiro," Goten said. "They're arguing about baby names again."
"_Again_?" Keisuked smacked his forehead.
"You look stressed," Trunks said sympathetically. "You need a vacation."
Keisuke muttered something and shut the door firmly on them.
Forty-five minutes later, Goten fell into place, pulling out his chair at the dinner table and lounging in it, and he was not the last. Trunks, of course, had been prompt, but Goten knew that he was much more likely to be forgiven for tardiness than his purple-haired husband. The kids all knew that they had to lecture Goten to get him to do anything on time, but they usually forgave him.
Ai was tearing into a celery stick with a look of trepidation on her face.
"What's wrong, daughter?" Goten asked, patting her on the shoulder affectionately. Ai started crying and muttering something, and Goten drew back fearfully.
"Marron used to do that," Trunks observed, nodding slightly. "She used to say that a glass of milk made her feel better."
Ai sniffed slightly. "Ee?" At Trunks' nod, she seemed to mull that over. Shiro must have been listening in the kitchen where he was helping his younger brother-in-law. He brought a glass of milk, and Ai gulped it down, drying her mouth delicately with her napkin. Her eyes grew rather large, and but she was silent for a long while. Shiro wiped her tears and prayed silently that the backlash would be as delicate as his wife's pale complexion.
He went back to the kitchen and Ai sat at the table silent for a long time. Rei passed through in a bathrobe, flipping through a magazine. "Here yet?"
"No. Get dressed." Goten said, grabbing Ai's abandoned celery stick as he waited.
"I think I feel sick," Ai said suddenly.
"Don't feel sick," Rei said, as she popped her head back in the door.
"Get dressed!"
"Are you seeing spots?" Trunks asked, making a motion to Ai's peripheral vision.
"A few," she said, and it sounded like an understatement.
"You guys stay out of the celery!" Keisuke yelled from the kitchen.
"Are you hungry?"
"Yes, I'm going! Yes, I'll dress nice!" Goten pushed Rei from the dining room.
"No..."
"Come on," Trunks pulled Ai from the table and towards the downstairs bathroom.
"Where the hell did everybody go?" Keisuke yelled again.
"Watch your mouth!" Shiro yelled and there was a clatter in the kitchen.
"He'll be such a good father," Ai told Trunks, looking up at him with slightly misty eyes before leaning over the sink weakly.
The doorbell rang. Keisuke shouted, "I'll get it! Everybody to the table!"
"Little dude, you are wearing an apron." Shiro made a sound as though the apron was tossed in his face, and Keisuke bolted for the door.
"Come on, you don't have to eat. It's important to Keisuke that we're all here."
"Alright," Ai said, feeling better after a moment or so of standing with her head dropped.
Goten gave Rei's door the warning knock and went down the stairs, sliding into his seat just as Trunks led Ai to hers and dropped into his place at the table. Ai rubbed her stomach absently.
"What, giving you trouble already?" Goten teased, patting her hand.
"Nothing but," she replied distractedly. Shiro brought in the first plate of something as Rei bounded down the stairs and into her chair, pushing her hair back with a sign. Goten gave her a look that told her to be more responsible with time-management next time. Of course, he was one to talk, so she would make no effort to.
"Guys, all presentable?" Shiro perched on his chair and the twins, who had been there the entire time, looked up expectantly. Keisuke stepped aside and led a family of three into the room.
"I'd like you guys to meet my girlfriend, and her family. This is Toshihiko Yuuko." The girl he introduced smiled at him slightly then bowed to the assembly. She had dark hair with a gloden tint, an auburn color not commonly found in the area around them, curly spools, and dark green eyes. She was very lovely, as a matter of fact, and her mother and father both looked a lot like her.
"I wondered why there were _three_ extra places," Hikaru said, counting again.
"Hai; I thought you should all meet. You seem like you would enjoy each other's acquaintance." Keisuke grinned, flushing slightly, and seated the family.
Trunks cleared his throat politely and started a round of small talk that lasted through the salad, which everyone ate since Shiro had made it, and everyone loved his salad.
Ai only picked at it, not feeling well, and looked almost sadly at it.
"Ai-chan, tell me what's the matter," Goten said, quietly, but there was a pause and everyone heard. Ai shrugged one shoulder. "You like salad. I thought so, anyway."
"He put so much love into it," Ai said, her voice trembling slightly, and the Toshihiko family looked at her oddly.
Goten paused, seeing that he could do nothing, and instead asked Trunks, "Was Marron like that when _she_ was pregnant?"
Trunks nodded gravely, and the new family seemed to get it.
It hadn't taken long for Akira to get involved in a deep conversation with Yuuko's father, who was named Nobuki, about politics. Trunks listened intently and added his own two cents every so often, wondering to himself if his former-punk son was going to _become_ a politician. He shuddered, but had a feeling that the family could keep him honest.
As soon as hearing that Ai was pregnant, Toshihiko Mei asked her about herself, and explained that she was a doctor of pediatrics. Ai brightened somewhat and asked a few questions, and the guys tried very hard not to listen in. Nobuki seemed unaffected.
Rei gave Yuuko the 'big-sister' treatment. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?" When the girl answered in the negative, Rei invited her to come visit Capsule Corp. any time she liked, but warned that Keisuke had two brothers and three sisters who were quite a handful. Hikaru intruduced herself, bubbly personality coming to the fore, and Yuuko smiled as though Hikaru were someone she could relate to.
"So how long have you two been going out?" Akira asked, popping some type of bite-sized fruit into his mouth after the political conversation died down, and Nobuki began to speak with Trunks about business. Trunks managed to keep a straight face throughout the conversation, despite the fact that he often had to smash to the table certain wayward utensils and such as Goten grew bored and everyone around him was involved in a conversation.
"Uhm... a couple of... months.." the girl murmured, blushing. Rei nearly spit up, and Akira blinked as Goten grew more interested.
"Do you draw as well? Keisuke does that so much when he's at home sometimes we forget he exists." A couple of them laughed as Goten said it.
"Yeah, we have an art class together," she replied, slowly gaining confidence about the family as they all asked her questions in turn.
"How do you make your hair do that?" Hikaru asked, mesmerized as the girl's curls bounced every time she turned her head.
"What?"
Hikaru reached up and made little spoolly motions beside her head.
"Natural."
"I wish I could do that."
"I wish my hair was straight," Yuuko said, with a smile.
"Call it selective breeding," Hikaru said. She made a slight face and the two laughed.
"Yeah, okay..." Goten leaned his head on his hand and tried really hard not to listen to the ongoing conversation with Ai and Mei to one side of him. Trunks was still speaking of Toshihiko Nobuki's involvement with the Capsule Corporation subsidiaries to his other side. Goten caught himself yawning though it was impolite, and Trunks looked at him with a smile. He nodded at last, and Goten brightened. Here was what he was waiting for.
"I don't suppose any of you would be interested in martial arts?" Gotem asked them.
"I have been to each of the last eight Tenka-ichi Budokais." Nobuki informed them. Which made him older than he looked. "I practice it, to relax occasionally. Why do you ask?"
"You guys are all talking about stuff you know, and all I know is martial arts," Goten replied sheepishly. He thought to himself. "Hey, if you have been to that many, then you saw my Dad!"
Trunks looked at Goten in surprise. "That's right; they're held every five years, right? Then he's seen your dad at least twice and us three times."
"Who was your father?" Nobuki asked, mildly surprised.
"Son Goku," Goten replied, all but puffing with filial pride.
"He was _your_ father? He's the most amazing fighter I've ever seen!" Nobuki pushed his glass aside and turned slightly towards Goten. "Did he train you?"
"No, my mom and my brother..." Goten went on to describe it in brief. The rest of the table was quiet, since this was all stuff they knew, but any might have the opportunity to contribute.
"You've been in it three times?"
"Mm-hmm!" Goten nodded, and looked at Trunks who grinned.
"Wait a minute... Junior division, the first after Satan won?" Nobuki snapped. "I'll be! That was the most incredible junior division fight, and I mean _ever_. There's this one move that I saw one of you do, and I can't seem to get it right, no matter how many times I see it done. Do you think you could...?"
Goten beamed.
Trunks rose and went into the kitchen, where Keisuke watched through the doorway as he waited for the main course to finish. "Why didn't you tell us you were seeing someone, 'Suke-chan?"
"I did," he said weakly. He seemed nervous still.
"Chill out," Trunks advised him. "You look worked up. She seems really nice; cute. Kinda like Hikaru."
"It _is_ a little freaky," Keisuke admitted. "Still..."
Trunks reached over and messed up his hair, then smoothed it again. "You're too young to date."
"Sorry."
"I don't mean it anyway, even if it would change anything either way." Trunks sighed softly. "I wish your mother could see you."
"You've been thinking about her a lot, haven't you."
"With a pregnant woman around the house again, it's really hard not to," Trunks admitted. "It seems as though I never really spent much time with Ai until now."
"You did," Keisuke said. "But there were five of us back then to keep track of. What did you expect, 'super dad'?"
"Never thought I'd have my youngest son justify my actions to me. Still, I didn't do _her_ justice."
"I think you did fine," Keisuke said. "Ask her."
"Have you ever watched Ai and Goten together?"
"From time to time," Keisuke admitted, and checked the oven, reaching for a pot holder. "Why?"
"They always make me think of you." Trunks took the heavy dish from him and helped him serve.

*~*~*~*~ Oshimai ^_^
Yes, part four is coming for those of you who actually read this stuff. Q&C welcome. Please don't make fun of my plot holes!