Chapter 3: Something For Your Mind
AN: If you follow me on twitter you know, I am at the brink of my patience with my job at the moment. Writing this fic and raindrops is really whats keeping me sane. I am so sorry for not being more active on FFNET and interacting with everyone. I am always so grateful to have people read my work and it's genuinely what keeps me going some days. Sorry for the long vent but I don't feel like I show the people who read my stuff enough appreciation.
Long speech over! Please enjoy the latest chapter and let me know what you think! Also be sure to participate in the DB Fandom Awards! :)
Trunks stared at the onyx-haired Saiyan, donning a denim capsule corporation jumpsuit, holding up a cardboard box in his white-gloved hands. "What are y'doing here?" Trunks asked with an awkward grin on his face.
Goten propped the box against his hip, tilting his head at the slightly taller man. "I should ask the same thing to you," Goten looked at his best friend who's eyes flitted around nervously. "Look, man, I'm just here to grab some pieces for downstairs," Goten sighed as he walked towards the large box behind the CEO.
Goten, stopped in his tracks, inhaling deeply and looking over to Trunks. "It smells weird in here…" Goten drawled, "do you...smell that?"
Trunks looked wide-eyed at him. "W-What?"
Goten shook his head, "Forget about it." The man picked up the massive box with relative ease. Unbeknownst to the third-party, Marron had been peering at him from the corner trying to remain as quiet as a mouse.
Trunks attempted to open his mouth, in an attempt to give a pitiful excuse as to why he was somewhere he clearly wasn't supposed to be. However, Goten was able to see straight through that. "Look man, I don't even want to know," he said as he stacked a box on top of the other. "You're sister's being super anal about this whole new project...and, I'm really not feeling like getting my head chewed off by messing anything up."
"Sounds like her," Trunks chuckled.
Marron listened carefully. It sounds like they know each other, given he is speaking so informally about his two higher-ups. She did wonder what was that smell he was mentioning. Was it her?
Marron always regarded herself as rather clean, she didn't think she smelled like any foul scent. She lifted her arm slightly trying to smell herself and it was nothing but deodorant. The blonde flushed embarrassed, this has never happened to her before! Maybe she needed to stock up on some cranberry juice…
The conversation died down and she listened to the door click shut. Marron looked up to find a stressed Trunks leaning against the door. "Are you okay?" He asked looking up from the ground. "It sounded like you fell hard," Trunks commented as he walked over to her, offering a hand.
Marron straightened out her clothes, tucking her shirt back into her pants. "I'm okay, just fell on my shoulder a little too hard," she commented.
Trunks sighed as he slumped down to the floor. "This is why I wanted to stop this," he began as he put his glasses back on. "Too many people here would catch on."
Marron looked to the side, pursing her lips. "You're the one that insisted on hooking up…" she said under her breath.
"Oh, what's that?" Trunks asked, knowing full well what she said thanks to his acute hearing, "you're no angel either."
Marron looked up at him as she sat cross-legged on the floor. "Well, what do we do now...I'm totally turned off.."
Trunks sat in front of her, leaning his cheek against his closed fist. "Let's make some rules…"
"Rules?"
"Yeah...I mean, obviously, we need to have some boundaries...," Trunks drawled, "I think it only makes sense to lay out some rules, right?"
"Right…" Marron replied.
Trunks watched as she played with her bottom lip. His mind drifted to just minutes ago when those lips were wrapped around him. He could feel the tips of his ears grow hot. "The first rule, this is a strictly sexual relationship...the moment one of us finds a partner, we end things," Trunks stated.
Really, this rule was more for himself. In a moment of irrational thought, he'd frightened himself with how possessive he'd become over her...even if for a moment If he wasn't careful, he may act on impulse.
"That's fair," Marron agreed. "Besides you're definitely not my type." Trunks shot a glare at the blonde, as she hooked her bra back on. "Rule number TWO," Marron began, "we need to keep sex after work hours...we can't risk getting caught."
Trunks quirked his brow, "so, meet up at each other's place?"
"I mean, yeah, obviously?"
Trunks stared at her in disbelief. "Do you forget who I am?" he asked, "I'm the heir to capsule corporation...reporters and paparazzi follow me everywhere it's too risky and-"
Marron placed a tentative finger on her lips, "well just come to my place."
"Or a love hotel," Trunks began, receiving a death stare from the blonde in response
"We'll try to be inconspicuous about it, besides...when you took me home that night we didn't get caught," Marron replied, before throwing her hair up in a bun.
"I guess you have a point there," Trunks replied as he leaned over, tucking a strand of blonde behind her ear, "I got one last rule though," he began watching her face turn beet red, "a tease here and there…"
Marron brought her hands to his lips, stopping him from speaking. "Is NOT allowed!" Marron exclaimed, feeling her heart beating out of her chest. He was so close to her...she could feel herself getting worked up just feeling his smoldering gaze on her.
"Ah…" Trunks sighed, "fine, whatever the lady wants." He finished before leaving a gentle kiss on her neck, "but I can't promise I'll be compliant with that last one."
Marron tried to protest but before she knew it he'd gotten her up, and made himself presentable once more. The thick aroma of her arousal still lingered in the room. The smell was suffocating the hybrid's sensitive nose, so much so that he continued to flare his nose in a lame attempt to get the scent out. "Go back to work, I'll text you..." Trunks stated whilst looking over his shoulder.
Before she could reply, Trunks bolted from the scene and to the nearest restroom. What was all of that, man? He thought to himself. Trunks was well aware that Saiyans had sensitive noses, he'd been able to sniff out different human emotions for a while. But it's never been so strong on any human before.
He's slept around plenty to know what a woman who's into him smells like. It was the sweetest scent, however...this new adventure was quite different for him. Her scent was thick, and utterly intoxicating. "Kami…" he murmured, reaching down to his pants trying to readjust.
This lack of self-control was embarrassing.
Marron returned to her desk, looking slightly more disheveled than before. She plopped down on her seat, throwing her head into her hands. She couldn't believe how easily he manipulated her body.
Was she that inexperienced? Or were her previous partners not attentive?
She returned to her work, however, much like before she was having a lot of trouble concentrating on her work. She thought meeting with Trunks would help re-adjust her line of thought...clearly, that was not the case as her mind kept weaving between the numbers on the sheet and the quivering feeling left in her core from her unsatisfactory meeting.
By the time 5 o'clock hit, Marron had gotten much of nothing done. She shut her laptop and shoved in her purse walking out of the office with the rest of the staff. She found herself encapsulated by the deep orange sunset flooding the corridors.
"Marron!" a familiar male voice exclaimed.
The blonde turned around to find Valese and another individual barrelling towards her. Her eyes widened. "Oh my gosh!" Valese panted, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Girl, look who I found!"
Marron turned over to the individual standing beside Valese. "Coconu?!" Marron exclaimed as she ran directly into him in a tight hug. She looked up at him, her eyes colliding with his soft green ones.
"Hey mare-bear," the man said gently. She grinned, that was his nickname for her during her high school years. Marron looked him up and down, he had changed...a lot since they last spoke to each other. He was much taller than her now, she couldn't ruffle his soft white hair anymore...
"The last I heard from you, you'd taken that mission trip to the Papaya Islands," Marron stated, "you look so different now!" Indeed, he did, his skin was far tanner than she recalled.
He was kinda hot…
Marron was shocked that was one of the first thoughts to cross her mind. Was she that desperate? Or had she always been blind to the men around her?
"Anyway, I thought we should all go to the izakaya nearby and have some drinks!" Valese squealed, "nothing like old besties meeting up after a long time, am I right?"
Marron smiled gently, "Yeah, I just gotta check real quick with-" Marron looked down at her phone to see a string of texts from Trunks. She didn't bother opening her phone and stuffed it back in her purse.
"With?" Valese leaned over to her. "Are you back on the dating scene already, Mar?"
"Absolutely not," Marron exclaimed, giving a quick glance at Coconu, who had a gentle grin laced on his lips.
"Well let's head over," Coconu said, walking behind the two women.
Between the couple swigs of beer and raucous laughter. The trio lost track of time in the warmly lit pub. Indistinct chatter flitted the air as all the corporate workers huddled close and spent a good time by each other.
"So what got you working at Capsule Corp, Coconu?" Marron asked as she sipped her beer.
"Well…" Coconu began, "After my mission trip at the islands I returned and got into engineering, after seeing so much innoventions from necessity down there...I figured I wanted to advanced the field the most I can."
"Aah!" Valese cooed, her cheeks slightly grazed in ink "that's so cool!"
"But you know...Mr. Briefs has been more than accommodating, he truly is an innovative genius," he replied. "The Capsule Coupe is genuinely one of the most amazing vehicle designs and I'm beyond excited to see the models tested."
Marron quickly blushed. "Ah yeah, Mr. Briefs is pretty cool and all, but he can be a pain in the ass sometimes," Marron grumbled as she sipped her drink with more fervor.
"How so, Mar?" Valese asked, "You've had a run-in with him...he usually doesn't pass by accounting"
Marron's eyes shot wide and she thought of some random excuse, "Erm…" She began, "Well, he came into the accounting office party all drunk and teased me for sulking about Pensil."
That was a lie...he made her feel extra good...so much so that she was able to momentarily forget about her ex-boyfriend."
"That's not like him…" Valese and Coconu replied simultaneously, eyeing the blonde down suspiciously.
"Well maybe you haven't seen him outside of the workplace," Marron huffed as she shoved a piece of karaage in her mouth. "Let's stop talking about Tru- I mean, Mr. Briefs... alright," Marron continued.
Valese continued to keep an eye on her best friend, she'd been acting weird the whole day and she wasn't sure what to blame. Maybe it was the alcohol giving her a skewed sense of judgment but Marron was definitely hiding something from her.
Marron's face was beginning to flush but it wasn't much to worry about...she felt. Feeling a little buzzed was normal after a beer, right? "Coconu, y'know you've gotten pretty cute, you've got a girlfriend?" Marron laughed.
Coconu felt his cheeks burn, her forwardness was unexpected. The Marron he remembered was not the confident type, "W-Well, not currently no…"
"Awh, what a shame!" Valese pouted, "if you need a girl Coconu, I've got plenty of girls who'd love to go out with a cutie like you!"
Marron watched the white-haired man chuckled nervously. Coconu acted slightly like Pensil...a nervous wreck. The blonde placed her cheek against the bar counter, feeling a burning feeling arise in her chest. Tears suddenly welling up in the corners of her eyes. She grit her teeth as the uninvited thought of her ex-boyfriend flitted into her mind.
The terms at which they broke up were unexpected, and admittedly, Marron hadn't been processing the breakup that happened only three days ago. There was an ire billowing within her chest whilst she held back her tears.
"Are you okay Marron?" Coconu asked, concern stricken across his face.
"I'm fine..." Marron grumbled promptly as she grabbed her purse from behind the chair. "I'm gonna head out early if that's alright guys…"
Valese looked over to her, "Are you sure Mar?"
"Yeah, don't worry guys...I got to head to bed soon anyway, I have an early start tomorrow" the blonde lied, "I'll text you when I get home." She stated as she made her way towards the exit of the pub. A crowd of couples and co-workers huddled around the entrance, all laughing and cheering...however, much to Marron's distaste she was growing irritated at the crowd.
Tears stung her eyes as she stomped through the puddled sidewalks, straining her eyes under the dimly lit metropolitan area.
"I don't want to be together anymore," Pensil uttered as he undid his tie.
Marron paused, staring directly into her boyfriend's green eyes. "What?" Her voice croaked out.
"I've just realized, I don't feel anything with you..." Pensil stated simply, "We've been at this for...three...four years, I think?"
"Five," Marron corrected.
"Five?!" Pensil exclaimed, "Christ, just how much time have I wasted with you?"
Marron's gaze was an empty one. Watching him throw out these hurtful comments truly didn't phase her anymore. It was par for the course with him to act this way, mainly to get some sort of reaction out of her. It hadn't been the first time he pulled something like this.
"Anyway, I don't want to be here anymore so-"
Marron glanced back to the laundry she'd been folding, "that's fine."
"You're not going to say anything?" Pensil asked, walking towards her curiously.
"Not really...no..." Marron replied, "I could care less about you if you were to walk out that door right now...it would not change a single thing other than my relationship status on DragonBook."
The relationship had been dead for years, however, she'd stuck around hoping for him to reignite the flame that's been long lost. "You're a real bitch, you know that?"
"I'll have your things packed before I go to the corporate party tonight," Marron responded, "After that...don't show your face around here ever again."
And that was exactly what she did. Marron packed his possessions all neatly into a suitcase and left it out on the front porch, before leaving in her semi-business casual attire to the office party. But the fog had finally lifted and her anger was all that remained. She didn't want to shed a single tear for the relationship lost but the fact she had lost five precious years to a boring guy like Pensil...was aggravating.
In her march of fury, the blonde hadn't realized she was walking in the direct path of Trunks. The hybrid noticed the short woman striding his way and before he could say anything he held out his hands stopping the blonde dead in her tracks.
"Wha..?"
"Marron?" Trunks asked, inspecting the blonde's face. The tip of her nose was a bright red, almost as if she had been freshly crying. "What's going on?"
"Nothing I'm just..." She began gritting her teeth, holding back a tear. She inhaled sharply as she looked away
"Are you okay?" His voice was laced with concern, "You didn't see any of my texts, I figured you were busy…" Trunks replied as he helped the blonde up.
"I-" Marron paused, "I just...need some time alone," she croaked out.
"I can at least take you home," he offered, "It's pretty late anyway.
Marron's eyes widened, she knew they spoke earlier about going over to each other's place but she did not think he'd mean that same day... "There's no need, I don't live too far from here...actually."
"Oh?" Trunks said as she began walking. He followed quickly behind her, "As your boss, I feel I should make sure you should get home safely."
Marron glanced over to Trunks, her gaze was despondent. "Fine, I don't mind a little company…" What exactly was he trying to get at?
The walk itself was rather quiet. Trunks watched her movements carefully and tried not to poke or prod at whatever may be bothering her. Based on her scent alone he could tell, she was about to blow up and he didn't want to be on the receiving end of it.
As she began to walk towards the staircase, he wound up in front of a quaint townhome in the east district of West City. He glanced down to the blonde who turned to face him at the door. "Thank you, Trunks…you can head out if you'd like…"
A part of her didn't want him to go, but she knew if she'd let him in...she'd be hindering herself. Her eyes watched him carefully, almost anticipating him to follow her lead. "I don't want…" Trunks began, glancing to the side, "Are you sure you don't need to talk about it?"
What was he doing?
"Just talk," Marron emphasized as she invited him in.
Trunks looked around, this home...was too big for just a single woman. He looked around at the unhung picture frames laying messily across the floor. Pictures of Marron and another man... he was slender, auburn hair and green eyes. Nothing out of the ordinary in terms of appearance.
He did recall something about her getting dumped recently, but has it been that soon since the two had parted?
"Sorry about the mess...Pensil's crap is in the process of being thrown out," she stated curtly, as she offered Trunks a glass of water.
"I'm usually...not so abrupt with my emotions," Marron responded as she sat on the couch, facing an empty seat. "Take a seat," she motioned over to the velvet green couch she was on.
Trunks sat down, feeling woefully out of place. His hands hung between his knees, anxiously twiddling his thumbs. "Was it something I did?"
"No," Marron replied hoarsely. "I-I'm just processing what I've done."
He watched the tears form in her eyes, her eyes laser-focused on the diamond ring laying on the glass table. "Is it wrong?" Marron asked as she glanced at the ring. Trunks glanced over to her line of sight, noticing the diamond ring. This woman's entire life had been turned upside down and yet...she was acting as though all was fine. "Where do I go from here?"
Trunks watched her soft expression harden, the tearful blue eyes were replaced with a mixture of disgust and rage, as she pressed her lips together tightly.
"Found this in a pile of his crap earlier today," Marron growled, grabbing the ring from the table. "I...don't even want to know what it was meant for."
"I'm guessing you weren't too fond of the guy?" Trunks asked.
"No," Marron stated as she took a sip, "he was a total piece of shit."
"How so?" Trunks probed a little deeper, taking a sip of his water.
Marron sighed, as she threw the knit blanket over her shoulders, "he was just trying to pick fights with me, when we broke up I realized I don't give a damn what happens to him."
"That's a little harsh..." Trunks replied with a throaty chuckle, "but you do care...just a little don't you?" Trunks asked as he inched closer to the blonde, tucking stray strands of hair out of her face.
Marron's cheek grew red, "I-" she stammered, "No I-"
"Your nose is stuffed, and your eyes are puffy," he stated matter-of-factly.
"These tears aren't for him," Marron replied gritting her teeth. Her open palms now resting on her burning cheeks. "It's for the five years I wasted with a guy like him, and the number of hits my pride had to take before I let him finally walk out."
"It was a long time coming you'd say?" Trunks asked.
"Yeah...just about," she grumbled as tears welled up in her eyes. "It never feels good to be discarded like that...part of me feels like I failed and-" Before she could finish the tears began to cascade down her face, trying her hardest to stay strong she tried to continue the sentence but it got muddled by her hitched breath.
Trunks inched closer to her, wiping away her tears and holding her face up. "Stop that," he said softly. Marron's eyes connected with his for a moment. There was a weird tension that hung in the air. Was it really his place to comfort her? They were only having sex with each other and hardly knew each other and yet...
He pulled the blonde to his chest, holding her in his arms for a moment. Why am I doing this? He felt as she buried her face into his chest, and he could feel his heart swell. This was definitely crossing a boundary he shouldn't have crossed, employee or not.
What are we doing? Marron readjusted her head to stare at him, she drank in his appearance for a moment. His lavender hair hung slightly off his face as he looked down at her, his lips slightly parted as his hand raked the back of her hair. Was he...comforting her? She felt as though she was in a state of hypnosis staring into his dark blue eyes, intensified by the calloused hand that cupped her cheek. Were they going to kiss?
He couldn't snap out of it, try as he might the two were locked in as their lips met in a feverish kiss. Marron felt as though she lost all sense of herself, melting into his arms. Even if they didn't have any feelings for each other, she was searching for an escape and Trunks was her answer. Somewhere between it all, a gentle hand was crawling up her shirt.
He paused, parting from the blonde's lips. "Is this okay?" He asked.
"I don't know..." Marron whispered, her fingers tracing soft circles on the nape of his neck. "Do you want..."
"I'm not going to lie to you," he whispered, brushing the stray blonde hairs out of her face. "I don't like seeing you like this."
We've only known each other for two days... Marron reminded herself, he's only saying this to get in her pants, right?
"You hardly know me," Marron replied, as she sat up, her face dangerously close to his now. Her small hands idly played with his disheveled red tie, "what could you possibly know?"
Her eyes didn't dare to meet his gaze, all Trunks could focus on were her glossy pink lips pouting as curious fingers dared to travel along his neckline.
"I know enough," he replied as he dove his nose in the valley of her neck, catching the blonde by surprise. That same intoxicating aroma returned with a vengeance. It was always around her, he was sure of it. This time it was mixed with some darker tones and a slight hint of jasmine.
Marron's breath hitched violently, as his lips traveled up her neck and pressed against the tips of her ears, "the least I could do is make you feel good?"
What is with me? Trunks wondered as he felt his hands act on impulse rather than rational thought. "Is that something you want?"
His voice was melting her into a puddle right in his arms, how could she possibly hold her own against this man? "I-" Marron felt a soft mewl escape her lips as his lips laid gently atop her cleavage. "I do but-"
"But?" Trunks asked.
"Is this really...okay?"
Trunks chuckled, rolling his eyes at the blonde. "Nothing's wrong with a rebound, besides we already did this once...haven't we..." he replied, "and from the looks of it…"
His hands traveled down to the elastic band of her underwear, his fingers gently sliding down to her slick entrance. "Hah…" Her eyes locked in with his gaze, feeling as he dipped his fingers inside. A thumb resting atop her clit, moving gently in a circular motion.
"It looks like you're not all too opposed."
"Hn...please," she managed out, flustered from the radiating warmth emanating from his skin.
She decided, against her better judgment, to let him...to help her forget again. She deserved to feel good. Didn't she?