Love, A Game..

Chapter 21

The world was on fire and no one could save me but you
It's strange what desire will make foolish people do
I never dreamed that I'd meet somebody like you
And I never dreamed that I knew somebody like you

Mirai Trunks' heart gave an overjoyed leap as Gohan appeared in the doorway. It'd been so long! And now, here he was, in the flesh, the dreamy Saiyan he'd longed for time out of mind. The changes seven years could make were obvious - Gohan had grown taller, now on eye level with him, the once-long hair had been cropped close but still stood entirely on end, and he was definitely buffer, even under comfort-fitting 501s and a dark blue vest over a grey t-shirt. But the eyes...

The eyes were still the same. The same well-remembered pools of liquid ebony Trunks could drown in forever, the same familiar shards of darkest obsidian he could lose himself in beyond recall. The points of onyx filled his dreams - every flicker stirred desire in the lilac-haired Saiyan's heart. They seemed to darken or lighten with his mood - Mirai had never known there were so many shades of black, nor that one colour could be so beautiful. Whether they were clouded ink or clear as a starless night, they reached directly into his soul, claiming him, absorbing him, immersing him in endless darkness ... exactly where he wanted to be.

He couldn't stop a grin from spreading across his face. Suddenly everything seemed perfect, now that he was back with his beloved, now that he was where he belonged. Trunks felt a deep, profound sense of happiness welling up through his body at the very thought - that Gohan was right there, just across the room, separated by only a few steps instead of the gulf between worlds that had kept them apart for too long.

No, I don't want to fall in love (This world is only gonna break your heart)
No, I don't want to fall in love (This world is only gonna break your heart)
With you (This world is only gonna break your heart)

It had hurt so much being so far away from him ... knowing that he was out of reach, that he was so far away, had torn at Mirai's heart throughout every long day and more than one lonely night. Everything seemed so empty without Gohan - his world, his bed, his life - like only the dark-eyed demi- Saiyan was capable of completing him, of filling the hole in his heart and curing the hollow ache that seemed to spread through his chest more with every day they spent apart. He'd died a little more each time he'd remembered that Gohan wasn't there with him ... every time he'd thought of the other boy and longed for his presence ... but even now he could feel the pain in his heart dissolving as he took a step towards the darker boy.

"So, Trunks. You're back from outer space, then."

The indifference of Gohan's words, the casualness of his tone, the blandness of his voice, made Trunks momentarily falter and the smile flickered on his face. This wasn't exactly the reaction he'd been hoping for...

What a wicked game to play, to make me feel this way
What a wicked thing to do, to let me dream of you
What a wicked thing to say, you never felt this way
What a wicked thing to do, to make me dream of you and

But the mere fact that he'd heard his beloved's voice again made the delighted grin return in full force as elation surged through him. Until he'd heard that delightful silk-for-the-ears again he'd been half-certain this wasn't a dream. But no dream could parallel this reality, no matter how wonderful ... he was back with his Gohan again ... had seen his face, had heard him speak ... Kami, he was so happy he was certain he'd burst...

"Yeah, I'm back. It's great to see you again, Gohan."

Was that really his voice? It sounded so ... simple. Pure happiness. An audible smile expressed more fully in the few short words than a thousand photos could convey. Trunks hadn't even known he could say so much in so few words.