Author's note: () around the person's name indicates that the future version is addressed to in a conversation. Sorry still un-betaed...

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon balls Z, unfortunately.

Ch4 Goten got it wrong again, or maybe not

The 'Goten puppy' barked, bite and kicked, but went quiet immediately upon Trunks' threat, 'If you don't behave, you will never be changed back. A girl can still find dragon balls and make wishes, but I seriously doubt a puppy can. So, my dear friend, your recovery is entirely at my mercy'. Trunks smirked and quite enjoyed the scared look in Goten's large starry puppy eyes.

Future IV

Goten's wish finally took the duo to the Marai Trunks' timeline.

Trunks was curious about what Goten wanted to speak to Marai Trunks about, but now without a canine translator (if there were even such an invention) there was no easy way to find out. Not quite sure what to say, Trunks rang Capsule Corporation's gate bell.

Marai Trunks' image immediately appeared on the video screen at the gate, 'Welcome. Come and have some tea, lunch will be ready soon.'

Trunks was surprised that he was expected, 'How did you know I'm here?'

Marai Trunks looked very pleased with himself, 'I've made a time-traveller detector. I have quite a number of visitors these days.'

Trunks signed silently, he's definitely making a habit of this time travelling thing now…

Marai Trunks welcomed Trunks into the dining room opening onto the rear garden, and asked how everyone was doing in Trunks' timeline. He was also surprised that Trunks brought a pet, a puppy with short black hairs. Its hair was so healthy and shiny that it radiated under the sunlight, but the puppy itself somehow looked a bit upset. 'Nice puppy. New pet? When did you get him?'

Trunks smirked, 'Actually, just now.'

'What's his name?' Marai Trunks looked into the puppy's large black eyes and smiled, the eyes were beautiful.

'Trust me, you don't want to know.' Trunks shook his head.

Being the more gentle and mature version, Marai Trunks was quite fond of animals. He extended a hand towards the puppy, 'Have you taught him this? Hello, hand.'

The puppy looked annoyed. He lifted his right paw, but instead of putting it into Marai Trunks' hand, he shot out a small, but quite powerful, Ki ball.

Marai Trunks was dumbfounded, 'How on earth did you teach him that?'

Trunks smiled, 'It came naturally.' The puppy didn't look too happy about this answer.

'So what brought you here?' Marai Trunks asked half-heartedly, he was still amused by the idea of a dog that could master Ki.

Trunks shrugged, 'Goten has something to ask you, so he made a wish to Shenlong. But given Goten's current condition… I think I will just have tea and go home.'

The puppy protested and turned gold.

Marai Trunks' jaw dropped, 'A super-saiya… dog?' How on earth did you teach him that?

Goten couldn't stop himself from barking aloud at the word 'dog'.

'You got a weird pet…' Marai Trunks looked at the puppy intently. Though he wasn't very familiar with Goten's Ki, now that Trunks mentioned Goten, and putting the pieces together, Marai Trunks' eyes went wide, 'No, you didn't, Trunks!'

Marai Trunks is no doubt very smart, well, all Trunks are. Trunks put a hand on Goten's back to silence him and told Marai Trunks the whole story. Marai Trunks quietly laughed at the part that Goten changed Trunks into a girl, and their unfortunate 'Future I-III' encounters, but he remained disapproving of Trunks' revenge method, 'I think you should change him back before going back home.'

'It's school holiday and he's staying over at my place, no one will notice that he's missing for a few days.' Trunks didn't pay much attention to Marai Trunks' suggestion, he was trying to play with Goten's tail. Knowing Marai Trunks' stance, Goten jumped onto his lap.

Marai Trunks insisted, 'But I wouldn't know what he wanted to ask me.'

Trunks frowned at the puppy that was now snugging up to Marai Trunks. Sensing Trunks' irritation, Goten reluctantly sat still. 'Don't you have a canine translator or something? I know mum made one for a frog once.' Goten protested with a bark.

The bell rang, it was the household robot bringing up some lunch and freshly baked cakes. The discussion was temporarily stopped and everyone started to tuck in. Trunks was hungry, he hadn't eaten much breakfast since he didn't feel that hungry when he was a girl. Goten as well, not sure whether it was because his senses to meat had been heightened after changed into a puppy, Goten could not move his eyes off the chicken and meat balls. Trunks noticed this and held the plates slightly above where Goten could reach. So Goten did what a small puppy usually does, he jumped again and again, and fell on his back every time without success in reaching the plates. Trunks laughed and Marai Trunks sighed.

Goten was never the give-up type. He jumped again, and to everyone's surprise he started to float. A result of his natural talent with Ki, he has mastered flying even in the dog form. Trunks didn't get his figures bitten thanks to his fast reflex. Goten was very pleased his new skill. He floated above the dishes happily, picking up meaty treaty with his paws and tongue all over the table, spreading dog hairs and drooling in the passing.

Trunks put his fork down in disgust, 'What a day. After spending hours in a girl's body, being man-handled by Marai Yamcha, almost arrested by a Hentai Marai Trunks, all I need is a flying dog floating above my lunch… Goten, COME DOWN NOW!'

Goten reluctantly obeyed, but his landing wasn't practiced, he knocked over Trunks' tea cup accidentally (or perhaps intentionally), some tea spilled onto Trunks' shirt. Knowing Trunks was seething, Goten carefully arranged his paws, slowly looked up Trunks with his large tearful puppy eyes.

Who could hold a grudge against such beautiful pleading eyes? Trunks calmed himself and said to Goten, 'It's fine.'

Goten waggled his tail, not noticing that he was sitting on the edge of a table loaded with food, his tail sent a few bowls and the dishes flying.

Trunks had enough, he picked up Goten and threw him into the garden, 'I will make you into dog stew if I see you again in this room!'

Staring at the puppy shaped hole on the dining room wall for a while, Marai Trunks suggested, 'We'd better wish him back.'

Trunks pursed his lips, 'Never.'

Marai Trunks raised an eyebrow, 'You have been tracking his Ki since you threw him out. You care about him a lot, you don't want him to be harmed in any way… You love him.' It wasn't a question.

Not surprised that Marai Trunks had seen through his true feeling towards his best friend, and as Goten could not see or hear them, Trunks nodded, 'Sometimes I think I'm too clever for my own good, no matter in which timeline.'

'I take it as a compliment.' Marai Trunks laughed quietly. 'So, is there anything I can help you with?'

'I knew I love Goten for a while, but I don't know how he feels about me. I can't risk asking him and get refused. We are so close, you know, best friends for life almost since we were born, I don't want to lose what we already have…' Trunks said quietly, 'I need to ask him in a risk-free way, so even if he refuses, we still keep our friendship.'

Marai Trunks smiled, 'I'm sure that can be arranged. But you need to change him back first, else you won't understand his reply.'

'If you insist. But I am not going to get the dragon balls. I'm still mad about what he did to my lunch a.' Trunks looked around at the crushed dishes. The household robot has already started cleaning.

Marai Trunks laughed, 'I will, you just wait here and keep an eye on Goten, as you are doing now.'

Watching Marai Trunks leave, Trunks had to admit that Marai was the more caring and mature version, no wonder Goten wanted to talk to him. Through his tough experiences, he learnt the struggles of life, the pains of loss and the cravings for love. However, while Marai took after his master Gohan, a caring and loving figure, cunning was a trail that ran in the family - both of them must be very much alike deep down.

A refreshing sensation passed through Goten's body, he was very pleased to see his hands, not paws, again. Trunks does have a soft spot for me, he wished me back, guess I'm forgiven. Goten smiled to himself and went back into the dining room. There was only the busy cleaning robot. He wandered around the building and spotted Marai Trunks in the kitchen, with a new T-shirt on a tiger bread loaf in his hand.

Marai Trunks somehow looked slightly startled to see Goten.

Goten smiled, 'I guess Trunks have found the dragon balls in your timeline, I'm so glad to be back in human form.'

Maria Trunks looked at Goten, seemed to be deep in thought and a little concerned, he did not speak a word.

Goten looked around, 'Er, actually before Trunks comes back, there is something I want to talk to you about…' He left the sentence like that, then started to fiddle with his T-shirt. It is a nice T-shirt, a new one, Shenlong must have thrown it in as a gift, else I would be naked after changing back from the puppy form.

Marai Trunks studied the very distracted looking Goten, then raised an eye brown, 'What is it?'

Goten took a deep breath, 'I need your help with a little problem… But you need to promise first that you will keep it a secret, even from Trunks.' Does this sound a little familiar? Goten wondered.

'OK.' Marai Trunks gracefully replied.

'You see, I did a test today, to see if I, er, love girls or boys. And I had a random discovery…' Goten looked a bit flustered and ran a hand through his spiky hair, 'I found out I… I love Trunks. Kami, he is my best friend, it feels so right, and so wrong… Does he love me? I can't risk asking him, get refused and lose our friendship. What shall I do?... You are him, well, I know you are not him. But you two think in a similar way, so do you think, er, will he ever love me back?' Goten looked at Marain Trunks very nervously, he could hear his own heartbeat.

One, two, three… Three beats later…

'Of course.' Marai Trunks grinned, looked at Goten with intense admiration, 'I love you.'

Goten's draw dropped, 'What?'

Seeing Goten's very cute reaction and hearing his loved one's undying declaration, Trunks could not pretend anymore. He wrapped his arms around Goten and passionately pressured his lips against Goten's.

Goten immediately blasted him to the floor. '(Trunks)! What the hell are you doing!'

'Goten, I'm Trunks! I love you'. Trunks sat on the floor, but still held a big grin. I've loved you for such a long time, waiting patiently for your slow head to work it out yourself. Though changing me into a girl to figure out whether you love me, that's way too stupid for me to understand. But simple and pure, that's also what I love about you.

Goten backed further away, 'I know you are Trunks! But you are not my Trunks! You misunderstood me, I only love one person, and that is my Trunks.'

'I am your Trunks.' Trunks stood up and tried to hold Goten in his arms again, but only made Goten fly through the door screaming. '(Trunks), get away from me! Trunks, Trunks! Help!'

Marai Trunks and I need different names! Even Trunks found this very confusing, 'Stop, Goten!'

Goten would not slow down, running straight into the Marai Trunks who just came back from collecting the dragon balls.

'…' Goten looked back and forth at the two of them, his cheeks started burning.

Trunks stepped close to Goten, took him into his arms, and finally closed the little space between them with a kiss full on the lips. Goten stood frozen for a split second, but Trunks' lips were so soft, and his teal eyes so clear and beautiful. Goten moved in, forgot about the embarrassment of confessing to the wrong Trunks, about any hesitation or doubt, even about himself. This felt so right.

These two are efficient. I haven't even started my plan for them to reveal their feelings for each other yet, what a pity. I'm not sure how dad would take the news, but, well, that's another little problem for another day. Marai Trunks smirked.

The end

PS: Finnally dusted this up and get it all posted. It's a bit late but better than never :) Thank you for your support over the years.