waitingforhope | empathias INBOX (IC)

[ Trunks has been staring at his amulet in his hands for a good hour now. He's on the bed in his room, his sword propped against the wall and a frown on his face as eh brushes the pad of his thumb over the face of the amulet. He's been hesitating to make this... uh... call?? But, he decides it's time he do it and so, with a bit of a breath, he holds his amulet a little tightly and concentrates on someone in particular. ]

Uh... hi. It's me, Trunks. I mean... the smaller one.

[ Sweats. What a great opener. ]

[Having voices suddenly appear in her head was something Mai had yet to fully adjust to. Particularly when it came out of the blue, with very little forewarning.]

[It was enough to make her jump, nearly dropping the glass of water in her hand.]

[She recovered quickly enough, however, and her eyes turned downward towards the pendant around her neck. Slowly, she bent down to place the glass on the adjacent table and took a seat on the couch; as far as she knew, Trunks the elder was not around, leaving her alone in the privacy of ~~their~~ his apartment.]

Hello, Trunks. [Even mentally, she couldn’t hold back the surprise at hearing from the young boy like this.] How are you? Is everything alright?

Uh... yeah. I'm ok.

[ Why does that sound so dorky?? Clearing his throat, he looks up to the ceiling. ]

I was just wondering... do you... still live with my older self? And, uh... is he around right now?

[Ah. So that explained it—well, some of it. Either Older Trunks has taken off his pendant and couldn’t be reached telepathically, or else the younger version was avoiding him.]

I am.

And no, he’s not here. He went out a little while ago. I’m not sure when he’ll be back.

[ There might be a hmpf heard over the connection but it's hard to tell. ]

Well... I was wondering if I could give you something and you could give it to him for me...

[Avoidance it was, then.]

I can, if that’s what you really want.

Unless you wanted to give it to him yourself. I could tell him to go find you later.

Nah, I can give it to you. I mean... if that's ok with you and... uh... I can just stop by and give it to you... yeah.

[ He's rubbing at his face, feeling awkward and yeah. ]

[Definitely avoidance.]

I don’t mind. I wasn’t planning to go anywhere for a while. Do you know where the apartment is?

Nope.

[ To be honest, he didn't even know his future self had an apartment here since he's typically come across him outside... or on the mountains. ]

Can't be too far when you can fly though, heh.

That’s alright. It’s not that difficult to find. Or too far, considering I can’t fly and it never takes too long to walk back from shopping.

[Or, you know, periodic surveillance of the entire surrounding area. For reasons.]

[Thinking is the easiest way to offer the boy directions, Mai had an idea. She pictured a map of the area. One that highlighted a few distinct landmarks. There was a big “x” making the building, and the number of their specific unit below that.]

...I hope that worked.

[ Taking a moment to really look at the map, Trunks smiles to himself as he slides off his bed and grabs his backpack from off the chair. ]

Yep! I'll be there in no time. See ya!

[ And he cuts the connection with Mai, grabbing an envelope off his desk before he hops out the window and takes to the sky.

It takes him maybe about five minutes or so until he reaches the place which his future self and Mai live in and, rather than tap down and knock on the door like a normal person would, he floats over to one of the windows and gives a few knocks to it with his fist. ]

[Fully expecting him to use the door, Mai was momentarily confused until she found the actual source of knocking. A smile and light shake of her head later, and she undid the latch, pushing the pane up all the way before stepping back. Giving him the space to enter.]

In a hurry, or do you always like to make an entrance?

[The room itself would look simple. Very little in the way or flourish or design. Practical furniture—including the couch, which had a blanket thrown over the back and a few sleeping pillows against the far armrest.]

Would you like something to drink while you’re here?

[ Coming to gently tap down on the floor, Trunks takes a moment to look around the room before he looks back over to Mai at the offer of a drink. ]

Uh, nope. I have water in my bag.

[ And he shakes his backpack a little to have the water bottle roll around to show he's not lying. ]

So... this is where you live?

[ Coming to step inside a little more, when his gaze lands on the couch with pillows, he makes a bit of a face before he looks over to Mai... and quickly looks back away. ]

I mean, uh, it looks pretty ok. Not really like home but... yeah.

[She caught that look. But they’d had this conversation once before, and he knew where she ~~stood slept on the matter.]~~

Capsule Corp, right? [Nodding in satisfaction that he would be sufficiently hydrated—although the thought did cross her mind that kids didn’t typically carry multiple water bottles around—she turned to take a seat on the couch.] I’ve been there before. In our time, of course. It seems like a nice place to live.

Well, I mean here, too.

[ Where he stays with his mom. But as Mai comes to take a seat on the couch, Trunks holds onto the straps of his backpack and stands there, looking around a little again before his attention once more falls back onto Mai. ]

Do you like living with him? I mean... does he actually talk and stuff?

[She held back a much wider smile at the question. For all the younger was avoiding his older counterpart, he sure had many questions about him.]

[Then again, it was natural for boys his age to be curious. Haru has been the same way once he felt comfortable enough to speak up.]

He talks. Quite a bit, in fact.

Whenever we would crash at one of the safe houses, there were times when we could do little else but talk. So he would talk—[Well, vent]—and I would listen.

[ Trunks hums a little in regards to that and slowly makes his way over to sit on the couch beside her, hands still holding the straps of his backpack. ]

My mom says he's gone through a lot and even though I can't understand what he's been through, I still wish he would know that he has family here with him. I mean... mom loves him and stuff and she'd like him to stay with us but... it's like he's scared to be around or something.

[Mai was often the Trunks’ whisperer, but that didn’t mean she always knew what was going on in his mind. However...combining what she now knew about his personal timeline with the younger version’s words...she could wager a guess.]

I think... [She didn’t want to lie, but the last thing she needed right then was for the boy to run off in a wave of emotional turmoil again.] ...you might both be right.

The things we’ve been through...we’ve lost a lot of people dear to us. He apparently still thought I was dead until a short time ago. He had no idea I’d survived the attack. And so soon after...

[Bulma]

...that...it’s possible...his heart just wasn’t ready.

[ Taking a moment to let those words sink in, Trunks looks over to Mai then, hands squeezing the straps of his backpack a little tighter. ]

Is he ever gonna be ok?

[A pause. For so simple a question, the answer was very much...not.]

Eventually. Some day.

When he stops bearing the weight of our world on his shoulders and blaming himself for not being strong enough.

[...okay, maybe that was expecting too much.]

Or when he gets the chance to remember what makes him happy without being afraid it’ll be taken away from him again.

[ Blaming himself for not being strong enough... he knows how that feels. A little too well actually.

Coming to look down to his feet, Trunks frowns a little. ]

But everything can be taken away. Even your favorite snack that you really like can stop being made. If all he ever does is worry, he won't even enjoy the happy moments that he does have in his life, even if they're small little things. They still count.

[Out of the mouths of babes.]

Did you tell him that?

No.

[ Pulling his backpack around to rest on his lap, he unzips it and pulls out a crumpled envelope then, looking to it for a long moment. ]

I wrote him a letter... but I don't know if he'll read it or not.

[Her expression softened, and she held her hand out. Assuming this was what he intended for her to pass on.]

He will.

I’ll make sure he does.

[ Looking over to Mai, fingers clutch at the envelope a little tightly then as he suddenly looks a little unsure. ]

You promise not to read it, right?

[Mild surprise at the condition, but she shook her head.]

If you don’t want me to read it, then I won’t. Promise.

[ Looking back to the letter for a moment, he holds it out for Mai to take then. ]

Ok. Just... yeah, if you can get him to read it... he doesn't have to write me back or anything. Just... yeah.

[She accepted it, holding it in her lap with both hands as she looked back up at him.]

Oh, I’m sure once he reads whatever you’ve written, he’ll be over to see you in person.

Hey Mai.. I'm going to need your help in a little while.

Some set up, but mostly making sure Trunks comes over to my place that day.

Sure, I can do that. May I ask what this is for?

I've decided that regardless of the Thras mess I'm throwing a birthday party for Goten and both Trunks like I'd already thought to.

The 17th.

Edited 2018-11-13 20:11 (UTC)

Oh! I knew his birthday was coming up, but I guess I lost track of time with everything happening. I can make sure he’s there if you need, but he’s not big on huge gatherings. Especially if he’s expected to be the center of attention for long.

I was debating not doing it, but.. it doesn't seem right and I think Goten deserves it considering, you know. He's the littlest among us all.

I know. He's like his father, but Vegeta still gets a birthday party whether he likes it or not.

Goten will probably steal the show anyway. Which, when you think about it, would be a win for everyone involved. DOES Vegeta actually like it?

That's the plan. I think the kid deserves it after all of this mess.

He'd never say if he did, you know. But he also never fails to show up for dinner on his birthday, so. I let that speak for itself.

What does he usually do during dinner?

What does any saiyan do during dinner?

Stuffs his face.

Well, yes, but... Maybe I read that wrong. You said he shows up for dinner on his birthday. I thought that meant he didn’t always show up for dinner. Like if he was too busy training or just ate in his room or something like that.

Oh - gotcha. Sometimes he trains through dinner, and if he tried to eat it in our room I'd kick him back to the kitchen myself.

So he has the option to not show up for dinner on his birthday, but he does.

He probably just enjoys the attention from those who matter, but can’t say as much because he has an image to uphold. ...unfortunately, I don’t think that’s something Trunks inherited. He genuinely doesn’t seem to like being the center of attention for long. But then that’s what Goten is for, so it should be alright. Actually, now that I think about it, do you still need cakes for them? I work at Snow White’s bakery now so I could deal with that if you need too.

Sounds about like Vegeta.

Trunks not liking the spotlight doesn't surprise me much. Considering everything I'd be more shocked if he did. Still, Goten will be happy and take up most of the attention I'm sure, and if he doesn't hopefully Trunks will come off the Thras investigation long enough and enjoy himself and bring the attention away himself.

I do, actually. Do you think she'd be able to do a cake for each of the birthday boys, and then one for guests? I'd say one big one to share, but.. well. Saiyans and food.

The last time we talked about Saiyan-sized food portions, she insisted she's had to cook for seven dwarves at a time before and was up to the challenge. And if she's not, I can help. I've been paying close attention to the recipes.

Then let's do it.

Let me know if you need any more details, etc and I'll work it out.

I think just preferred flavor and time of delivery. I can manage the rest.

Chocolate for Goten, definitely.

Let me think about it for a minute for either Trunks.

Get back to you in a few minutes.

[ Merry Christmas, Trunks and Mai! A letter in a bright red envelope will arrive by messenger bird to their apartment early Christmas morning. The single letter is addressed to both of them. What could be inside?

It's a card with snowy pine trees on it and swirling glitter font reading "Season's Greetings." The interior of the card is blank, save for a handwritten note. ]

To Trunks & Mai,

Your Christmas gift is also an early Valentine's Day gift. I hear this place is amazing!

From, Videl

[ Inside the card is a piece of paper confirming a 14 Endeca, 818 (Valentine's Day) dinner reservation for two at a high-end Verens restaurant known for its exquisite (and expensive) food and romantic atmosphere. Holiday reservations here always fill up months in advance! The reservation also seems to suggest that separate billing arrangements have been confirmed. What could that mean? ]

empathias INBOX (IC)

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12/25 - messenger bird