| Feeding the Flames part 8 By: Juuchan As he moved downstairs to find Trunks, Gohan passed through the kitchen and simply paused for a moment, taking in its state. Cupboards were open haphazardly and mostly empty, cartons, boxes, and other food containers of all sorts were scattered on the table and counters, and the sink was absolutely full. He was willing to bet that the fridge was decimated, too. Trunks' apparent appetite might simply have been caused by the Heat, but he would also be eating more than normal now, so someone would definitely have to make frequent trips for supplies. Stepping into the living room, Gohan paused again, this time to simply observe Trunks as he lay sleeping. He wore the jeans and tank top Bulma had made him fetch from his room, the shirt riding up to expose his stomach. He looked better fed and rested than earlier, during the Heat, but Gohan could tell that he still required more ki. He stepped closer to the couch, and placed one hand cautiously on Trunks' shoulder, willing his ki into him. Gohan frowned as he noted that, while Trunks' energy wasn't decreasing like before, it also wasn't recovering as much as he'd expected. "I think it should work better if you'd give the ki directly to them." Gohan jumped as Trunks suddenly spoke up, breaking contact and looking down to see blue eyes watching him as Trunks shifted to lay on his back. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you.." Trunks waved off his apology, then reached out, grabbing Gohan's hand and pulling him forward, then pressing it to the bare skin of his abdomen as Gohan gazed at him in surprise. "Give the ki to -them-. Then I'll really get a break. At least, I'm pretty sure that's how it should work. It feels right." One thought had finally made it's way past Gohan's startlement. "Um.. why do you keep saying 'them'? Because you don't know if they're male or female?" "Nope." "Because.." He became slightly nervous at the thought, "they're twins?" "No." "Then, why?" By now, Gohan was genuinely puzzled about why Trunks was being so vague. "They're quadruplets." Gohan dropped to his knees in shock, saved from falling backwards only by Trunks' hold on his hand. "F.. Four?!" His mind was whirling. -Four- children! He hadn't known Saiya-jin had litters.. He wondered how hard it would be on Trunks to carry four.. his help would certainly be necessary. His attention was once again shifted from his ruminations to reality as Trunks tugged lightly at his wrist. "Weren't you going to feed them?" "But.. How?" Trunks shifted to a more comfortable position on the couch, then rested his warm hand on top of Gohan's. "First, just.. search for their kis. Then it should be simple to give them some of yours." Gohan sighed and closed his eyes, struggling to concentrate and ignore both the heat of Trunks' stomach beneath his hand, and the warmth of his palm above. He sent a small tendril of ki along Trunks', in the area their hands were gathered, and realized that he could, faintly, sense a foreign energy. He reached farther -in- and.. there they were. He marveled silently as he brushed along them gently, then attempted to transfer his ki to them, and was slightly startled as they took what he offered greedily. He settled into a cross-legged position next to the couch, drifting into a trance-like state, while Trunks fell back to sleep. |