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Goten was always surrounded by friends, certainly. At home he had his big brother Gohan, Videl, his grandpa, and his parents. And so often for reunions and any major events in town, he would without fail be assailed by tons of friends his family had made over the years: Yamcha, Krillin and his family, Tien and Chiaotzu, Master Roshi, Bulma and Vegeta, Piccolo, and sometimes even more than all that. He was never wanted for company in that his family had always been a little odd, but plenty big. And yet none of them were his friend, not really. They were all his dad's friends or Gohan’s, they weren’t there for him specifically nor did they really make time for him to make a connection. They were family, but they weren’t his in that way. Atop it all, Goten didn’t go to school like most kids as he was taught by his mom and his brother at home, so he didn’t have classmates to befriend either. But then, there was Trunks…
Trunks may have been the son of his dad’s friend Vegeta, if you could use friend to describe their peculiar relationship, but that aside Trunks and Goten had hit it off very much independent of their parents even trying to introduce them. Trunks was pretty different from him, but that only made him exciting. Someone new, someone like nobody he had met before and they were just as interested in him too! Well Trunks wasn’t always the most straightforward kid Goten had ever met, not that he had met many other kids, but he trusted his judgment on him. Trunks was nice and he was fun and not to mention he was just the coolest guy ever even if his dad was really loud and angry most of the time.
He never made Goten feel bad or uncomfortable since his family was rich while his really wasn’t, he’d sometimes even get or share things with Goten which made the young boy happy, not to receive though but to be included even when he didn't ask. Trunks could be a little too mean sometimes when his teasing went too far or he let his haughty attitude get the best of him, but he always apologized in some way when he realized he did something wrong that he regretted, and their fights never lasted long. Whether it was training with his brother or his dad’s friends, or just playing with toys at one of their houses, or the rare times Vegeta would let Trunks bring along the other boy on their excursions; no matter what it was, Goten always felt so happy to just be around his best friend, he always felt braver and happier than anything when they were together, like they could tackle the world.
Trunks was a bit of a lonely kid in all honesty, typically only having his parents and grandparents for company when it wasn't time for any of their big meetups of friends and family. They didn’t go quite as often as there were meetings since his parents were often busy with work and not fond of crowds, respectively. So he went to school where he was either bullied or he was followed by empty husks of people only attracted to him for his mom’s money or his good grades, and came home to his parents. He would watch his mom work, fascinated by her lab work and when that lost his attention he would routinely train with his father, someone he truly admired, though their mutual snark and his father’s harshness sometimes made that difficult. The dynamic was awkward at times, but he loved them dearly and was content growing up with just that.
And then he had met Goten; Goten who was just a year younger, Goten who was the son of his father’s arch rival (as if his father would let him forget), Goten who was simple and honest to the point it was overwhelming at times how direct he was about things that saying or admitting would make the purplenette’s face flush crimson in embarrassment.
“Well of course I love you, you’re my best friend!”
”You’re so cool!”
“I don’t really know about a lot of that stuff, but you’re really smart so I bet you’re probably right.”
Trunks would make a big deal over how not a big deal it was every time, his face red and his voice exasperated to even shrill as he responded to Goten, pretending the praise and attention didn't feel good from someone he trusted so readily. It didn’t matter what he had or didn't, it didn't matter if they fought or not, or if they made a mistake between them, because they were still Goten and Trunks, and so of course they were still friends. And then, there was Gotenks…
Gotenks was a thousand conversations and agreements and memories all put into one moment that went on for the most thrilling and warm 30 minute stretches of time anyone could experience. No, he wasn't the only fusion of his time nor his method with the dance, and yet he felt so deeply unique in his existence with how he instantly fell into his identity as a new person. His two parts so perfectly slotted together and communicating as him that there was rarely any indecision for Gotenks at all.
He was made of bright smiles and smug smirks, he was made of exuberant energy and a need to rise above, he was made of the laughter only youth can ring out, he was made of love twice over; love for two mothers who were strong but loving, love for two fathers distant and full of unspoken depth, love for all things fun and light as children are wont to, love for one’s closest friend now made oneself.
Gotenks was the means by which Trunks knew he never had to doubt how his younger friend saw him, relieved to bask in the genuine adoration and brightness he was often shown as the other looked up to him in all sorts of ways. Likewise, he was also the means by which Goten was able to feel safe and without concern for loneliness anymore of someone like him, able to feel his closest friend as a part of himself literally now and sharing in the attachment and trust between them. Gotenks was a conversation, a symbol, and a statement:
‘I am with you, we’ll always be together.’