Chapter 4: So That's a Bond!
Trunks had remained in his chair gazing blankly at the wall in front of him while Pan sunk quietly into the couch waiting for Vegeta to start talking. Bulma perched herself on the edge of a seat as well waiting for her mate to find a way to start his discussion about bonds since it was such a private and personal thing. When Vegeta finally turned facing away from everyone and beginning to speak, Pan found that she was hanging off every word.
"You know Saiyans are complex creatures, but Saiyan males are even more so. My father explained that each person has what feels like a gravitational pull towards someone else. I guess you humans would refer to it as soul mates, but for Saiyans it means much more than that. It doesn't matter race or species to a Saiyan what matters is compatibility and equality. When a Saiyan finds that person what we refer to as a one-sided bond is created," Vegeta told sighing deeply.
"Why is it called a bond?" Pan interrupted.
"It is referred to as a bond because it means the complete joining of mind, body, and spirit," Vegeta replied letting the information sink into the girls head before continuing.
"For a Saiyan a one-sided bond can be the most painful experience of their lives, and if the bond isn't furthered it most likely means that the Saiyan will die. If the chosen bond mate however reciprocates affection a Half-Bond is established. If a bond is broken it means that the person's heart will break and most likely that person will die," Vegeta explained looking at his wife and then at his son.
"So you are saying that because I was attracted to Trunks as a child he developed a Half-Bond with me? Why when I let him sniff my throat did he suddenly calm down and return to 'normal'?" Pan asked blushing slightly once more remembering the feeling of Trunks so close to her.
"When a female allows a male to be close enough to mark a person it is a symbol of submission and acceptance. The neck is where the Saiyan male places his mark. It's strictly instinctual and usually done in the heat of intercourse. The acceptance and vulnerability of baring that spot to him shows that you are willing to become his mate," Vegeta responded.
"If you want to see what a mark looks like then come here Pan," Bulma motioned.
Pan stood and made her way over to Bulma's side surprised when the woman removed her jacket and tilted her head to the side. On her neck was a scar of what looked like four teeth. It looked like it had been there awhile.
"A Saiyan's mark is how he binds the female to him. It binds the couple eternally and although it doesn't kill the mate when their bond mate dies it does cause great pain and it is impossible to find someone else. That's why there is no such thing as divorce and Saiyan's never remarry. That's one of the reasons Saiyan's take it so seriously," Vegeta continued.
"Pretty Panny," Trunks mumbled his eyes following Pan's every move.
"Brat," Vegeta snapped and although Trunks didn't look away from Pan he didn't do anything either.
"So you're telling me that unless I choose to spend the rest of my life with Trunks then he will probably die, and if I choose to be with him we are going to skip the whole dating thing and just straight into bed together followed by husband and wife?" Pan asked her breaths coming in shorter gasps as she began to feel like she as trapped.
If there was one thing that made Pan feel very uncomfortable that was feeling like she didn't have control. Currently she felt like all the power in her situation was in Trunks's hands and that if she made the wrong decision or waited too long then he would suffer the consequences. She saw Trunks shift and made a conscious effort to try to logically think everything through, but she couldn't focus on anything except for the death sentence she would be giving Trunks if she said no. She had feeling for him from childhood, but was that enough to base a lifetime commitment on?
"Vegeta will all this possessiveness stop if I complete the bond?" Pan asked glancing a Trunks who was intensely staring at her.
"It will once you mate with him," Bra responded walking down the stairs and into the room.
"When I mate with him?" Pan questioned noticing that Bra had not hinted that she had a choice.
"My Panny?" Trunks asked leaning forward in his chair his eyes becoming glazed.
"I think I feel the need to train, Trunks come with me," Vegeta demanded yanking his son out of the chair and practically dragging him up the stairs and out of the room.
Once the men were gone Bra and Bulma looked at Pan with secretive smiles. Pan was staring up the stairs where Trunks had just exited with a look of longing on her face that she didn't quite understand.
"Do you have more questions Pan?" Bulma asked pulling Pan's attention away from the stairs and back to her.
"Do only males mark their mates? Why does Trunks keep acting this way? How come my parents never told me about all of this? How do I make this decision?" Pan rambled sinking into the couch and placing her head in her hands.
"Easy there girlfriend," Bra said with a laugh reaching out and placing a comforting hand on Pan's shoulder.
"Okay, let's start from the beginning of your questions and see if we can answer them all," Bulma replied, but drew a blank on how to answer the questions. Bra however seemed to have asked the same question already to her father.
"Dad once told me that only the strongest Saiyan females will mark their mates as well. He said that since the mating process is instinctual that neither party knows what's going to actually take place until the event occurs," Bra replies.
"But if it is so instinctual why do you not hear about Saiyan women acting like five year olds?" Pan asked.
"Dad said that's because we have the ability to give life and although I'm still not sure why that has anything to do with it. He also said that if we find someone we want to make our mate that we become more demanding and almost force the male into becoming our mates," Bra continued.
"Okay then, next question," Pan accepted with a nod, "Why is Trunks still flickering between sullen adult and childlike stubbornness?"
"Trunks is still acting that way because his instincts are overruling his mind. His emotions are running right under the surface and those urges keep telling him to mate with you and nothing else. The pressure of that is pressing down on the parts of the brain that allow him to act like an adult and put him more into a childlike state. When Vegeta was going through the same thing he acted more like a teenager and he did not want me out of his sight for an instant. I remember one night I woke up to find Vegeta standing at the edge of my bed staring down at me. I screamed so loud that I woke up everyone else in the building," Bulma replied laughing at the memory.
"So he's acting that way because his brain is telling him he has too. It's the Saiyan 'I like you' mechanism?" Pan said sarcastically.
"Pretty much and the last question I can't give you an answer to, only your parents can. I'm assuming Gohan thought that since you are only ¼ Saiyan and since there is only one Saiyan male that is not family around you that you wouldn't be affected. I definitely do not think for a minute he considered Trunks to be a contender in your life," Bulma finished with a sigh.
"I guess I can understand that, but I'm not happy about it," Pan replied.
The three women continued to talk for a long while until Bulma stood to get some work done down in her lab. Bra and Pan remained seated in the living area. It was about an hour later and the girls were watching some martial arts movie that Pan had picked out, when Pan decided to continue their conversation about bonds.
"Why is bonding so important to Saiyans?" Pan asked when the story of the movie was just the two main actors talking.
"It's almost as necessary as breathing to Saiyans. When Saiyan's find that equal it gives them extra strength while at the same time opening a channel of communication to that person that would never be possible on any other level," Bra explained taking a sip from the lemonade her grandmother, Bunny, had brought to them.
"A channel of communication?" Pan asked confused.
"A bond is not just a physical thing. A bond ties you to that person and I know Father mentioned it but I don't think he explained the details in depth. You know how your parents can stare at each other for a long time and suddenly they have reached some decision and you are left wondering when they talked about it? That's a true bond. Bond Mates as Father calls them are allowed unlimited access to each other's minds. Father says that it's so they always know if the other is in trouble but it also allows the ones that are bonded an intimate way to communicate," Bra explained.
"Wow that part sounds good, but I don't know if I like the lack of privacy. Why didn't my Dad explain this to me?" Pan questioned with a sigh.
The two friends knew almost everything about each other and Bra recognized that Pan was having real difficulty believing that her father would keep this from her because he didn't think it was a possibility. She knew Pan loved her father deeply, but she also knew that Gohan had always been very protective of his only child.
"I have to admit Pan; I still can't believe my brother chose you to be his mate. If it happens then we will be sisters!" Bra exclaimed trying to lighten the mood, but was surprised when Pan's face sank instead.
"Do I really have a choice? Vegeta said that if I broke the bond then Trunks would be in excruciating pain and might die," Pan replied with a sigh looking down at her hands.
"You always have a choice Panny," Trunks's tired voice carried from the stairs.
"Trunks!" Bra exclaimed while Pan continued to stare quietly down at her hands.
"Can I talk to Pan alone Bra?" Trunks asked quietly.
Bra must have agreed because Pan became aware that she was suddenly alone in the room with Trunks. Trunks sighed and moved forward to take a seat beside her on the couch. Sinking down onto the soft cushion beside her he positioned his body so that he could watch her. Pan looked up and turned as well her hands still locked together in her lap.
"I guess I should apologize for my recent behavior. I know this is more than you want to handle and I'm sorry for my lack of control," Trunks replied looking completely worn out.
"That's not really your fault. I think your behavior has more to do with our strange heritage and the hormones in your system," Pan said trying to lighten the mood.
"Pan, I've been back less than a day and all I've caused is problems," Trunks replied with a sigh of defeat.
"Trunks," Pan said softly.
"I feel like it might have been a smarter idea for me to stay away permanently," Trunks told her with a false laugh.
"What the hell? No that would not have been a 'smarter' idea!" Pan exclaimed looking as if she was going to reach out and punch Trunks.
Trunks stared at the woman beside him with disbelief. He couldn't believe just how much she had grown in the last three years. He gave a small smile before turning to lean forward placing his elbows on his knees then linking his hands.
"So, what have you been up to while I was gone?" Trunks asked, changing the subject.
Pan glared at Trunks's change of subject but answered anyways, "I've been helping out your mom part time at Capsule Corp, while finishing up my senior year of school. Oh and Grandpa made a wish on my sixteenth birthday for my tail."
"What do you mean you got your tail?" Trunks asked surprised.
Pan grinned and unwrapped her tail and Trunks zeroed in on the furry Saiyan tail. Trunks grinned seeing it, because he knew how much she wanted it.
"Wow, I'm happy for you! How has school been?" Trunks asked.
"It's high school how do you expect it to be? It's definitely not the same since I haven't been skipping like I did three years ago," Pan replied with a laugh.
"Hey that was your choice. Your father wanted to beat me and turn me into a Saiyan mantelpiece, when he found out you were skipping. I had to beg my mom to help me so Gohan didn't murder me," Trunks said relaxing back onto the couch.
"You Saiyan males have this overprotective issue as well as a possessiveness of things you think belong to you," Pan commented while shaking her head.
"Not a fair comment," Trunks growled out, irritated suddenly.
"I thought it was a fair assessment. If you want to act possessive and think that it makes you protective, then why shouldn't I put you into the same category with my father? You and I both know that he's the most overprotective man there is, but I honestly might have to start reassessing that if you keep behaving the way you have since you returned Saiyan hormones or not," Pan replied standing from the bed and placing her hands on her hips.
"Oh shit that's a great idea Pan lets irk the man who already has a problem containing his emotions. An irrational Saiyan female is not what I want to be dealing with right now, especially one who doesn't quite grasp the situation and one I'm already Half-bonded to!" Trunks yelled out rising from the couch and running his hands through his hair.
"Fine! If that's the way you feel then I'll leave!" Pan shouted as well and shoved him as she rose to her feet. As she tried to make her way towards the door Trunks stepped into her pathway so she could not move.
"That's not what I really want Pan," Trunks said with a sigh. Pan could tell that he had to fight to stay in control. His fist was clenched at his side and she could see his knuckles were turning white.
The two stared at each other for what felt like several minutes before Trunks suddenly lurched forward grabbing her arm and propelling her into his embrace. She didn't try to fight him, but instead wrapped her arms around his waist. He was her best friend and she had missed his, but with everything happening she had not been able to accept that he was back.
"I missed you Trunks," Pan said softly.
"I missed you Pan, and I'm really glad you kept your promise to me. Your hair looks beautiful," Trunks replied and Pan's cheeks reddened at the compliment.
Pan relaxed into his embraced and closed her eyes breathing in his scent while listening to the steady pounding of his heart. Before she knew it she was swept off her feet and taken up the stairs to his room. She was placed down on his bed and as soon as her head touched the pillow she was asleep.