A Lesson In Humility

Author



Author's Notes:
Thanks Ember Maxximus, Inei Tenshi & Meliza Mac for beta-reading! 





A
Lesson In Humility Written by gokusgirl
Chapter Four
 
There were two things
Trunks feared.
 
Being broke and facing
his father.
 
It seemed like he going
to encounter both of these today.
 
He sat on the oversized
couch in the living room, his foot tapping impertinently.  He glanced over at
his father, watching him as he sat on the balcony railing, one leg propped up on
it as he leaned against the cool cemented wall.  His gaze was turned to the
city, but Trunks knew his thoughts were somewheree. e.
 
Trunks knew he was going
to be disciplined, but what was going to be the punishment?  He had been sitting
there all morning, his father daring him to move.   His stomach growled and his
head ached, why did he let Marron talk him into taking that drug?  Trunks cursed
under his breath, knowing if he hadn't taken that ecstasy, he probably wouldn't
be in this mess.  No, there was no one to blame in this but himself.  He buried
his face in his hands, groaning lightly as he heard the sound of the air car
pull up outside.  He raised his head up, watching his father cross the room to
greet Bulma at the door.  Just then Pan and Bra came downstairs, and Trunks saw
them walk past the living room door, gawking at him curiously. 
 
"Don't go in there,"
Vegeta ordered them briskly.  "Your mother and I are going to have word with
Trunks in a minute… go into the kitchen."  The girls nodded, and trotted on
before Bra stuck her tongue out at Trunks as she walked into the kitchen. 

 
Bulma walked in through
the front door, shutting it with a deep sigh.  She turned and looked at Vegeta
with weary eyes, shrugging her shoulders. 
 
"Where is he?" Bulma
asked faintly. 
 
"In the living room,"
Vegeta stated with a frown.  He reached out for her, caressing her face with
concern.  "What's the matter woman?"
 
"I just hate to do this,"
Bulma sighed walking up to Vegeta, embracing him with her face in his in
chest.  
 
"Bulma he's a grown man,
You can do this,"
Vegeta said gently grabbing her shoulders, pulling her back so he could
look at her.  "It's not like he's dying… this is merely a transition." 

 
Bulma nodded mutely, and
they walked into the living room to face Trunks, who was anxiously on the edge
of his seat. 
 
"Mom, I-" Trunks began.
 
"Shut up, and let your
mother talk," Vegeta snapped, crossing his arms at his chest.  Bulma sat down
next to her son, and finally had the courage to look him dead in the eye as she
began to speak.
 
"Trunks… your father told
me what you and Goten did this morning."  Bulma stuttered, embarrassed that she
was even bringing such a topic up around her son.
 
Trunks turned and looked
at Vegeta, mortified with what his mother said.  "You told her?"
 
"Why wouldn't I?"  Vegeta
said sharply. 
 
"What bothers me about
this isn't what you were doing, but how you were doing it, Trunks. 
Didn't I bring you up better than this?" Bulma said shaking her head.  "I know
you're sexually active, but to allow Goten
to participate in having sex with you and Marron…"
 
"Mom, I didn't have sex
with Goten." Trunks said defensively and on the record. 
 
"Well whatever it was… do
you know how hard it's going to be for me to look at Krillin and 18's face
knowing what I know about their daughter?  It was disrespectful of you and Goten
to do this… and I told you once before about the drugs."
 
"Alright… let me explain
about that," Trunks choked out, suddenly feeling like he was about to bawl like
a baby.  "Marron gave me and Goten some X to loosen us up… I've never taken it
before…" Trunks words trailed off as he looked at his mother and father
pleadingly, and he noticed the cold stares they gave, so unbelieving and
contemptuous…  "I'm tired of you two acting like I'm a crackhead! So what if I
smoke a joint every once and a while… doesn't everyone?"
 
"Drugs only alter your
mind and body boy," Vegecoldcolded, his eyes narrowed with anger.  "And you have
been warned about this." 
 
"But Marron asked me and
Goten to do it," Trunks implored desperately. 
 
"So if someone
asks you to jump off the house, you're going
to do it?" Bulma snapped.
 
"No… and that is so
totally cliché," Trunks grumbled.  Vegeta walked over and slapped him in the
back of the head, and Trunks yelped in surprise, rubbing his head.
 
"Don't talk smart to your
mother," Vegeta warned with his eyes widening. 
 
"Okay Vegeta… back off,"
Bulma said pulling him aside.  "Trunks… what do you think we should do with
you?" 
 
Trunks blinked for a
moment, not sure what she meant.  Was she allowing him to set the punishment? 
Why if that were the case, it would be a week long vacation in Saint Thomas. 
As he thought of that, a small smile crept across his face. But his daydream
came short when he heard his father shout. 
 
"Your mother is talking
to you boy!" Vegeta yelled, making Trunks jump. 
 
"Well, gee, I don't know
what you should do with me.&; Tr; Trunks said honestly, rubbing his hands together. 

 
"Well your father and I
have made a decision…." Bulma's words trailed off as she looked over at Vegeta
solemnly.  "That you need to move out." 
 




 
Bra twirled her spoon
around in the bowl of her now soupy ice cream, watching the Neapolitan flavors
combine into a brown yucky liquid. She sighed and looked over at Pan, who wasn't
hungry either. She sat there, looking out the window silently.  It had been
terrible news for both of the girls that morning, and they were having a hard
time dealing with it.  Being the stronger of the two, Bra rose from her seat and
walked over to Pan, rubbing her shoulder.  Pan never responded, she just
continued to look out the window.
 
"Can you believe it," Pan
scoffed as she shook her head.  "How could Marron sleep with both of them?
Wasn't one enough?" 
 
"Apparently not," Bra
said angrily.  " I always thought she was the quiet type… I guess those are the
ones you need to watch."
 
"How could she do it?"
Pan said facing Bra, her eyes glassy.  " I mean with two men… is it possible?" 

 
Bra laughed at Pan's
naive comment, leaning into the window frame.  " Anything is possible when it
comes down to sex.   But for them to sink so low…"
 
"Yeah…" Pan said softly
as her gaze went back to the window.  "I guess you were right about your
brother."
 
"Hmph, told ya," Bra said
crossing her arms.  "They're all the same… it's just not him.  I don't think I
can forgive Goten for this, it hurts too much." 
 
"Listen to us," Pan said
turning to pick her ice cream bowl up to discard in the sink.  "We sound like a
couple of scorned women… we weren't even their girlfriends!  And yet we're
sitting here, talking as if we were involved with them…" Pan placed her bowl in
the sink, laughing at her stupidity. 
 
"But they slept with
Marron.  Pan, she's suppose to be a 'friend of the family' or some shit," Bra
growled. "I couldn’t ever feel the same again about Goten… never.  Even though
we weren't together, there was a chance.  I just don't care anymore." 

 
Pan looked over at Bra,
looking so much like her mother with her angry frown.  She knew that Bra would
say that, but she also knew that she was lying to herself.  Bra prided herself
at not letting matters get under her skin, and it was something to see her so
bent out of shape about it.  But Pan knew that for the moment she resented
Trunks actions, but she couldn't stop caring for him.  She promised herself for
Bra's sake not to even mention it. 
 
"Let's go outside, get
some fresh air," Pan offered as she walked to backdoor.  Bra exhaled sharply,
throwing her hair off her shoulder,
and followed her friend out onto the backyard. 
 




 
"I have to move out?"
Trunks said incredulously.  "Why?"
 
"Trunks, is cos coming to
this for long while," Bulma said shaking her head.  "Your lifestyle is too much
for me.  Maybe if you're out of the house, in your own place, it won't affect
the others in the household." 
 
"But I have nowhere to
go!"  Trunks said slumping back into the couch. 
 
"Yes you do," Vegeta
spoke up as he sat down across from them.  "Where do you think your mother's
been all day?" 
 
"Trunks… I've made
arrangements for you to take the old condo near the CC office downtown," Bulma
said clasping his hand.  Trunks sat up, a smile on his face hearing the good
news.  "I used to stay there when I worked late and was too sleepy to drive
home… but I signed it over to you today at the realtor’s office." 
 
"Wow…" Trunks muttered,
and he hugged his mom tightly.  " I don't know what to say… thanks mom for
giving me the place." 
 
"Who said it was given to
you?"  Vegeta snapped.  "You're going to pay for that place boy!"
 
"The yearly lease is due
in about two months Trunks," Bulma said with her eyes to the floor.  "And you
have to pay it in order to stay there." 
 
"How much are we
talking?" Trunks queried.  Bulma made sure she wasn't looking at him when she
finally came out with the answer.
 
"180,000 zeni a year." 

 
"WHAT!!" Trunks shouted,
looking at his parents crazily.  "Where am I supposed to get that kind of
money?"
 
"The same place you get
it everyday when you go buy worthless crap for yourself." Vegeta snarled. 

 
"Huh?"
 
"Trunks, we know you have
quite a substantial amount of cash in your savings and checking accounts, not to
mention your trust funds.  You can pay for it that way." Bulma said finally
looking at him. 
 
"But… that's my
money!" Trunks whined.  "Money I've earned over the years helping you at
the Corporation!  Not to mention my allowances… you can't take that from me!"
 
"It's either that or
you're a homeless person, alright?" Vegeta said getting into his son's face. 
"That's your problem, always so use to getting everything you want, and spending
all this unnecessary money like some brat… well it's time for you to grow up and
get responsible! You can sleep in the condo or in a box; it makes no difference
to me!"  
 
"Vegeta's right,
Trunks."  Bulma added.  
 
"This is no fair!" Trunks
yelled pushing his father out of the way has he stood.  But Vegeta grabbed a
handful of his shirt and pulled him roughly towards him as he growled baring his
teeth. 
 
"I think your mother has
been far too gracious by finding you a place to stay… if it was up to me, I
would have thrown you out years ago.  So, think twice before you start hollering
about what is fair and unfair around here!" 
 
Trunks yanked himself
from his father's grasp, his face red with fury as he looked at both of them.  
"I'll move out of your damn house, if that's what you want… but if I have to
spend my last dime in that damn condo, I'll never speak to you two ever again!"
 
"Fine by me," Vegeta said
with a smirk.  "Oh, and by the way… you have until the end of the day to move
out."  Vegeta walked past him and out of the living room.  Bulma stood and
walked over to Trunks, trying to console her son with the decision they made,
but he pushed her hand away. 
 
"Leave me alone… I've got
some packing to do." Trunks hissed as he stormed out of the living room. 

 
Feeling totally drained
from the confrontation with her son, Bulma slowly made it up the stairs to her
bedroom, finding Vegeta exiting the bathroom.  "You know… he is a spoiled
brat." Bulma sighed as she flopped across the bed. 
 
"We only have ourselves
to blame for that," Vegeta said softly as he lay down next to Bulma, rubbing the
tension out of her shoulders. "It's time for him to leave the nest now.  He'll
probably be angry with us for a while, but in time he'll get over it." 

 
"I hope so Vegeta," Bulma
mumbled as she relaxed under her husband's massage to her shoulders, feeling the
stresses of the day leave her body gradually.  "I hope so." 




 
Next Chapter:
Goten tries to make amends with an angry Bra.