Chapter 2 - Bagels and Finding a Solution

"Pan, I'm going to change now, so don't wake up," Trunks told her as he got out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist from the shower he just took. He grabbed some clothes from his walk-in-closet and locked his bedroom door so no one would walk in on him changing.

Why didn't just make Pan get out of his bedroom instead while he changed, you ask? Well, to make things short, Trunks and Pan were very close friends. They were so close that they'd almost seem like a couple, if one didn't know any better. So while Trunks changed in the morning after getting woken up by Pan and scolded by his mother, he'd take a quick shower after his mother left, change while Pan was still in the room, and run to work.

"As if I really want to look, no matter how hot people think you are," she retorted, still in the same position as she was when she fell off his bed, her eyes closed as she spoke.

Trunks smirked. "Yeah? Well, they don't 'think', Pan, they 'know'." He put on his boxers and pants, and went back into his closet, realizing he'd forgotten the top of his business suit outfit.

"You forgot the top half of your suit today, didn't you?" She asked after she heard his closet door close for the second time. "And whatever Trunks, your big 'ol fan of girls are crazy."

"Yes, I forgot the top part, and hey, just because they're crazy, it doesn't mean they have bad taste-" He heard Pan scoff during his reply, but continued anyway. "Besides, not only am I good looking, but they know that I'm also immensely rich."

"If you're talking about your family jewels, then forget about it Trunks, people like them aren't good for you."

"You didn't just talk about you-know-what-"

"How would I know what you think I'm talking about if you don't tell me what you're talking about?" she interrupted, holding back her laughter as she imagined him blushing out of embarrassment.

She was right too, because he did blush when she replied to his 'rich' statement. "Don't play dumb, Panny, you never were good at hiding it," Trunks replied as he buttoned the last button of his suit. "And I finished changing, so I'm going to go now. I'll see you later."

Trunks went on his knees and crawled over to where the girl lay, planted a kiss on her cheek and stood up again, looking for his briefcase and a stack of paperwork he needed. Kissing her was a normal action for Trunks to do, when the two of them prepare to go on their separate ways. He had been doing this for quite some time now, after her grandpa had left. Goku leaving was hard for Pan, and she took it hard, crying for many nights, not caring who'd see. Trunks had been a great help for her, helping her through rough days.

"I'm dead, Trunks, remember? You just kissed a dead girl."

He laughed at her response to his kiss and ruffled her hair before getting up. "Okay, I'm leaving now. You're going to be alone in my room again." He shut his bedroom door as he left, rushing to the front door of his home, to hear Bulma's yelling at him to hurry up and his sister complaining to her mother that she couldn't hear as she talked on the phone. "See you later Bra! I know, mom, I'll hurry," and he was out the door.

He stopped though, just as he closed the front door, because an arm that just happened to belong to Pan, blocked him. Confused, he looked at her smiling. "Yes?" he asked, noticing his bedroom window was wide open. She must have gotten out from there…

"Don't go hungry now, mister. You have a looong day ahead of you, so I brought you breakfast," she replied, holding out the bag to him.

Trunks looked down to his hands, which held his briefcase and papers. "Thanks, Pan, that's awfully sweet of you." He stepped closer to her and kissed her again on the cheek, watching her roll her eyes at him.

"Yeah, whatever." She stuffed the bagel into his mouth once he opened his mouth to say something. "Try not to choke now," she said, smiling smugly.

He tried to look annoyed, but instead appeared to be smiling. Then he gave Pan a quick one armed hug with his briefcase and ran off to work.

-

"You're late again, Trunks," Marron declared when he entered his office with a bagel in his mouth, a hand holding his briefcase and paperwork in the other. She was sitting in a desk that was in the far right side of his office, where she would file paperwork. Her legs were up on the desk, the skirt that she wore sneaking just above her knees. "I see you've missed breakfast." She put down the stack of papers she was working on. "Again," she added, a slight drawl evident in her voice.

Trunks raised an eyebrow at her as he walked to his mahogany desk to put down his briefcase. Once his hand was free, he took the bagel out of his mouth and waved it as he spoke, "Good morning to you too, Marron." He walked around his desk and sat down in his leather chair, quickly finishing his bagel. He swiveled in his chair to face her, blowing his hair that had gotten in his eyes in the process. His eyes inadvertently landed on her exposed legs, and instantly he looked away, his cheeks flushing red. He wasn't sure if Marron had noticed, but if she had, she didn't seem affected nor did she attempt to fix her skirt.

"Marron, remember what we talking about last week?" He asked her, not daring to look back as he spoke. When she didn't reply quickly, he glanced at her, wondering if she heard him.

She had heard though, or he thought she did, since their eyes met when he looked at her. As he was forcing his eyes to look just into her eyes and not anything below, she frowned at him and sighed. "Trunks," she started, playing with the pen she held in her hands. "Do you think I'm unattractive?"

You've got to be kidding me… Trunks looked away and turned his chair again so that he faced the window instead. "Ms. Chestnut, I believe we've had this conversation before."

Marron sighed loudly again, but she wasn't about to give up just yet. "Yes, Mr. Briefs, but you didn't answer me before either."

Trunks inwardly groaned, not wanting to answer, but he knew she wouldn't let him go. It was true, he hadn't answered before, but like that time, he didn't want to now.

"You know, Trunks, its pretty obvious when you're nervous," she spoke, her voice just above a whisper. "You'd always speak formally, like we were only in a business relationship." She got up from her chair and was walking toward him, slightly swaying her hips side to side with each step she took. When she arrived in front of him, the desk between them, she spoke. "I know you're president, and I work for you, but we can have a different relationship between us. I'm not sure if you know already, but I broke up with my boyfriend recently, and now," she paused in her sentence and leaned down until she lay partly on his desk on top of some important papers. "I'm a little lonely," she finished, cocking her head to one side.

This has got to be a nightmare… Trunks sighed and looked away from her again, noticing the cleavage that she was showing. "Marron, you're… You're beautiful, okay? But I'm just not interested." He waited for her response as he looked at the ground near his feet, but instead, found himself looking at her shoes. He looked up and their eyes made contact.

"I just want to help you, Trunks." She put one leg behind the other and clasped her hands behind her back, leaning slightly backward. "You look lonely too."

-

Finally, after a long day from work, Trunks drove back home replaying Marron's words in his head. 'You look lonely too…' He didn't necessarily need a woman in his life to be happy, right? There were many 'what ifs' in Marron's conclusion. What if he really did need someone to make him happy? What if…

Crap… While he was thinking this through in his head, he had taken the wrong turn, and now he was heading straight into a dead end. Just before Trunks made a U-turn, something caught his eye. There, by the mass of trees, was a house. A house for sale, that is. It was a beautiful 'mini-mansion', he decided to call it, seeing as this was the best word he could describe the house. He pulled over to the front of the house, and got out of his car, running a hand through his hair as he sighed, contemplating. What if he needed a home for himself, where he would have privacy and not have to worry about his mother barging in to his room every time he were a few minutes late for work? This was perfect! Just what he needed! This was probably why he felt incomplete; because he didn't have a place for himself! Maybe... I'm not lonely.. I just need a change in my life, and this is probably it. Trunks reached into his pocket, grabbed his cell phone, and dialed the number on the For Sale sign. "Hi, I'm interested in the house you're planning on selling."

A/N: Tada! I finished this chapter! lol. Please review! It makes me feel special. LOL. and it also makes me motivated to write more! I already have the next chapter, but i'm just waiting for the reviews. I really like the next chapter, just cuz it has lots of Trunks and Pan stuff happening, but anyway, please review so i'll know people actually want to read this story!