I appreciate you doing requests! Can't wait to see all of the pieces. Could you do a Gohan and Trunks one, maybe one where Gohan asks Trunks about his future self? I've been dying to see that written. (If it's too specific and you don't have the motivation, you don't need to write it!).
I got carried awaaaay!!!!! Thank you, this was such a good prompt that I just kept going, haha. I hope you enjoy.
Gohan was fidgeting. In a way that was almost familiar. Trunks had felt those motions before, the shuffling of feet and wringing of hands. He did it himself when he was nervous. It was quite surreal to have Gohan of all people seem nervous, especially around him. Almost as much so as it is to look down to him instead of up. Trunks was snapped from his musings when Gohan cleared his throat.
“Um ... Mr. Trunks? May I ask you a question?” Gohan had asked, in a polite manner that Trunks wasn’t entirely use to. Gohan wasn’t rude or disrespectful but where this little boy have him his full attention, straight shoulders and full eye contact. The Gohan he knew was much more distant with people he wasn’t familiar with. Not that Gohan and especially Trunks had much interaction with strangers.
“Sure ... uh ... ask away.” Trunks hoped his smile was as friendly as it could be and not as awkward as he felt. This was so weird.
“I heard that you knew me in your timeline. May I ask what I was like?” And this was so painful. He fought to keep his smile. This boy was so young, bright curious eyes fixed on him. Gohan was so different here and yet Trunks couldn’t ignore the blaring similarities. Gohan had been a warrior all of Trunks’ life. Had never stopped fight until the very end. But even so the warrior could never ebb his curious nature.
“Gohan was very brave and strong. A good and patient master.” Trunks couldn’t help the way his eyes drifted to the wall. Memories still etched clearly in his vision. “He was smart, could keep up with my mother like no one else.” Trunks smiled, trying his best not the look as sad as he felt. “Beyond anything he was very gentle and kind.” And it was in rare moments that Trunks got to see it.
“Like my dad?” Trunks didn’t say no. Because what young boy didn’t want to be like their father. Trunks looked back to Gohan. Who didn’t want to be like the person they admired most. Gohan, the man he remember still so clearly had resembled Goku a great deal, even wore his colors. That’s where the similarities ended.
Trunks had very little time with Goku but man was so carefree. He smiled and laughed like their impending doom didn’t even bother him in the slightest. Goku seemed like just a happy go lucky guy. It wasn’t like anything he was use to because it was so different from how Gohan was.
There was always a heavy air that swirled about Gohan. A sadness and anger that permeated his very being. It wasn’t until Trunks had transformed into a Super Saiyan the first time that he really understood that aura around Gohan. Not until Trunks had taken on the burden of the world off his dead master’s shoulder.
“I hope to be like that someday.” Gohan’s small voice ripped Trunks from his thoughts so fast his head spun. He didn’t. He would pray on every deity he could find that this little boy, this Gohan of the past wouldn’t follow his future steps. Focusing back down on Gohan, he first noticed the slight embarrassment that colored the boy’s cheeks as he looked way while scratching his head. But it’s the boy’s eyes Trunks focused on.
There was a distance to them, now that they weren’t shining with curiosity. Trunks could see it. The heaviness starting in this boy. It’s trapped in his body, only noticeable through his eyes. He felt a sudden fear that it was destiny, that fate just had it out for Gohan. It was a silly, dreadful thought but still so terrifying.
“You’re kind and gentle.” Trunks said, kneeling down to Gohan. “And you are already very, very brave.” Gohan’s cheeks darkened as he tried to fight his giant smile at the flattery. Trunks would fight fate. If it was for Gohan, Trunks would fight the entire galaxy to keep the heaviness from growing beyond containment in Gohan. He wasn’t going to let history repeat itself.