19- A Special Payment

Early Summer

Trunks felt his eye twitching. The Cyborgs had come for a surprise visit, and although he was glad to see Marron, he had wished there was a way for her to leave her mother behind. He wouldn't be able to go and visit Pan because they were there, though that hadn't stopped Marron form asking a hundred and one questions about her.

They were sitting in a dining room for their visit. Marron sat beside Trunks, her back straight and not a hair out of place. Trunks knew all too well how controlling Eighteen was over Marron. Trunks felt sorry for her for always having to be the perfect daughter.

Eighteen could not shut up about the wedding, and Trunks was growing more annoyed the longer he listened to the bullshit coming out of her mouth. Now that he was courting Pan, he couldn't see himself even pretending to want to be married anymore.

"It was supposed to be this summer," Eighteen let out a sigh as her eyes sent Trunks a quick glare. He raised his lips in a slight snarl, but Eighteen continued, "I guess Marron can at least get fitted for her wedding gown this fall. Would that be okay, Prince Trunks? Or should we wait even longer? You two aren't getting any younger, you know. Heirs are needed."

"Mother-" Marron nearly choked from her spot beside Trunks.

Trunks let out a huff and rolled his eyes. "I do have something to say," he said. "Do you ever care about how your daughter feels?"

Eighteen set her jaw and glanced at Marron, who was avoiding her gaze. "Marron is grateful for the opportunity, aren't you?"

"That's not the point!" Trunks said before Marron's could speak. "We don't love each other. How could you force us to get married?" He asked, not only talking to her now but his parents who were sitting in the dining room as well. "I know this arrangement was to build an alliance, but can't we still have an alliance without forcing a marriage?"

"Love is something so fickle," Eighteen said with a roll of her eyes.

"That's not how it works for Saiyans," Trunks set his jaw.

When Saiyans first start to bond with someone, their feelings can easily change, but once the bond gets deep enough, it's impossible. Once you've chosen your mate with your mind and body, it's for life, and there's no turning back. Trunks already knew that he was already too bonded with Pan to turn back now. She was a presence in his life that he had learned he couldn't do without.

"That's right," Eighteen mused as she crossed her arms. "You Saiyans only bond and claim one person as a mate, don't you? Well then-" she shrugged as she straightened her back. "Make whoever it is you choose as a mate as your concubine, I don't-"

"Shut the fuck up!" Trunks roared as he stood up. He could see everyone jump in surprise, and he felt his Ki rising. "Saiyans don't have something as lowly as concubines-" he growled. His eyes found his Appa's, and he knew his eyes were narrowed. "How can you stand to let her talk like that?" He asked as he motioned to Eighteen.

"Excuse me-" Eighteen began as she stood up.

"I told you to shut up!" Trunks held out a hand towards her as a Ki blast began to form his hand. "I don't give a fuck about any promise you two made. I like Marron, she's my friend, but I will not marry her," he declared.

"Trunks-" Vegeta stood up and grabbed his arm, and held it down away from a shocked Eighteen. "Don't do anything rash," he hissed under his breath. "The last thing we need is a war breaking out."

"You call yourself a Prince?" Eighteen sneered. "You don't care about your people or what would be the best for them, you-"

"The best for them?" Bulma spoke up with a quiet voice as she stood up and took a step beside Vegeta. "Tell me, how will Trunks marrying Marron be beneficial for us? For the last decade, Vegeta-Sei has been the one supplying your planet with the technology it has needed to thrive, is that not correct?" She challenged. "The only thing you said you could offer us is an army, but we have yet to see any army."

Trunks could see Eighteen shaking with anger. "We are working on it," she said through a hiss. "By the end of the season, I will bring you a prototype we've been working on. Marron-" she snapped at her daughter. "Let's go," she said as she walked out of the room without a backward glance.

Marron bowed, "thank you for hospitality," she said before following Eighteen.

Trunks shook his arm free from Vegeta's grasp. There were so many questions he wanted to ask them, like why they even agreed to a damn arranged marriage in the first place and why they kept putting up with Eighteen's shit. At the moment, though, he was too aggravated to care, and he turned around.

"I'm out of here," he said, not giving them a chance to question where he was going or doing before he disappeared.

Pan frowned as she glanced around the clearing. It was way too quiet. Trunks had announced the day before that he wouldn't be able to see her, and although that fact saddened pan, she understood that he had duties to his planet to attended to.

A familiar shift ran through the air, and Pan gasped as she glanced around. What was he doing there?

It only took Trunks a few seconds to appear, and Pan could tell right away that something was wrong. His brows were furrowed together, and pout was firm on his face. He marched over to Pan's blanket and sat down before he laid his head on her lap and wrapped his arms around her waist. Pan could feel her cheeks growing hot as Trunks' nose pressed against her stomach.

Pan wondered what had happened, but she sensed that it wasn't the best time to ask him. Gently, she threaded her fingers through his hair and started to hum a gentle tune. They stayed like that for several minutes until Trunks finally pulled away. He leaned back until the back of his head was resting on Pan's thigh.

"I thought you wouldn't be able to come today," Pan said as her fingers traced the bridge of Trunks' nose.

"I missed you," he murmured.

Pan could tell that something was bothering him, but she didn't push it. It most likely had to do with Vegeta-Sei, and she didn't want to put him in a compromising position by asking about something that could be confidential to his planet.

"I'm glad you came," Pan smiled instead. "I missed you too."

Trunks grinned and sat up. He opened his mouth to say something, but something beside Pan caught his attention, and he leaned over to pick it up. When he raised his hand, he was holding a giant, hairy arachnid.

Pan's eyes widened, and she felt her body shudder. She let out a scream as she bolted up and ran several yards away from Trunks, who looked at her in amusement.

"Panna," he said as he stood up. "He just wanted to be your friend!"

"No way! Kill it!" She shook her head. There was something about spiders that made her skin crawl.

Trunks took a step towards her, and Pan yelped as she threw her arms up and took a step back. "Trunks!" She shouted as she squeezed her eyes shut. "Kill it! Please!"

"Oh, fine," Trunks said, and Pan opened her eyes. "I won't kill it, but I'll go take it far into the woods, okay?" He raised a brow. "I expect payment upon return!" He grinned before he took off into the woods.

Pan watched Trunks disappear before she walked back over to the blanket she had been sitting on. She looked it over thoroughly to make sure no other spiders were on it before she sat back down with a sigh.

Trunks was back within a minute, and he sat down next to Pan and held out his empty hands. "No, spiders," he grinned.

Pan swallowed hard. Trunks had said he expected payment, and truthfully, Pan could only think of one thing to repay him with. But they hadn't kissed since before Trunks left! Sure they were courting, but would he be okay with kissing her again?

"Thank you," Pan whispered to him.

"You're-"

Pan grabbed Trunks' armor and yanked him down so she could give him a peck on the lips. She pulled away quickly as her cheeks grew hot, and she looked at Trunks shyly. He looked stunned. His blue eyes were wide as he looked at her, and his lips were parted.

"Sorry," Pan squeaked. "I was just repaying you, but I can get you something else-" she started to let go of him go.

Trunks reached out and grabbed the back of Pan's head. She barely had time to let out her surprised gasp before his lips were on hers. Pan's heart hammered against her chest, and her eyes fluttered shut as Trunks' other hand found her waist.

Shyly, Pan licked Trunks' bottom lip, and instantly she was greeted with his warm tongue. She tried to remember the last time they kissed and how she did it, but her mind was too fuzzy. All she could concentrate on is how Trunks felt.

Trunks' freehand grabbed Pan's bottom, and she let out a surprised gasp as he picked her up and placed her on his lap. Pan's cheeks felt sunburned as she leaned back to look at Trunks, who know had his back resting against the tree as she sat in his lap. He gave her a smirk that made her lower stomach flutter, and his hand untangled from her hair as he stroked her cheek.

"Hey," he said lowly before he swallowed hard. His hand squeezed her bottom, and Pan fought back a small shiver. "I need more payment than that."

"Ha," Pan felt herself let out a small breath of air. "You're pricy."

"If this is your payment, then you can't blame me for being greedy," Trunks said as he leaned forward. His lips were just barely brushing hers.

Pan leaned forward to remove the space between them. Her lips buzzed as they met Trunks' and he slipped his tongue right into her mouth as if it belonged there. Pan wrapped her arms around Trunks' neck to hold him close.

Pan wasn't sure how long they kissed, but by the time they pulled away, her lips were buzzed and swollen. She noticed Trunks watch her as she licked her bottom lip, and he grinned. Pan's heart went erratic.

Trunks couldn't stop his lips from tugging upwards no matter how hard he tried to stop it. The day that had started rather crappy, but had ended well- more than well. He had spent the whole afternoon and evening with Pan.

"You know, for someone who caused such a commotion earlier, you sure do look peppy."

Trunks turned his head to see Bulla. She grinned as she walked down the hallway towards him. "I heard you almost shot a Ki blast at Eighteen."

Trunks let out a huff and rolled his eyes. "I was forming some Ki in my hands; that doesn't mean I was about to shoot her."

Bulla gave him a disbelieving look.

"Okay, maybe I was," he admitted with a shrug. "She pissed me off bad enough."

Bulla let out a snicker as she shook her head. "Oppa, Oppa, Oppa-" she clicked her tongue as she shook her head. "Where did you go afterward? Eomma says you've been gone for hours."

Trunks smirked, "it's killing you, not knowing, isn't it?" He raised a brow. Bulla was so much like their mother- she wanted to know everything, and she usually didn't give up until she did.

Bulla pouted, "what's so wrong with me knowing? I won't tell anyone!" She groaned.

"Okay."

Bull blinked in surprise, "okay?"

"Yeah, I'll tell you," Trunks said. "Truthfully, I've wanted to bring her here for a while, and I'll need you'll help to do it."

Bulla let out a gasp, "I KNEW IT WAS A GIRL!"

Trunks rolled his eyes, "are you done?"

"Hey! You've never been interested in anyone before. Let me be excited for you!" Bulla grinned.

"Bulla, it's more than that," Trunks said quietly.

Bulla's eyes widened slightly. "You mean you're bonding with her?" She whispered.

Trunks nodded slowly, "it happened suddenly. When I had first seen her, I was curious, and soon, my curiosity became so strong that I had to meet her. It was no time after I met her that we started bonding. I tried to stay away from her all winter, but that didn't help anything."

"I knew something was going on with you," Bulla said quietly. "You worried Endou Oppa and me."

"Sorry that I worried you."

"Why did you try to stay away from her, though? You must have known you two were bonding. I know this whole thing with Marron makes things messy, but she's on your side, you know."

"I know," Trunks let out a heavy sigh. "Marron's the one that made my ass go back. I knew I was starting to bond with her, but I thought I could put a stop to it before it got worse. I was already so bonded to her by then, though. I tried to stop myself from going to her because she's from Earth."

Bulla gasped, "a human? You've fallen for a human?" She asked in surprise.

"Yeah," Trunks nodded. "And she's the Princess, too."

Bulla let out something similar to a choke. "Oppa! How did you even meet her? When you go to earth, you're not supposed to be seen."

"I snuck out when we were there for trade once."

"I'm not even surprised," Bulla let out a sigh as she shook her head. "You're always causing trouble, just like earlier," she smirked.

Trunks rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Well, you should have been in there and heard all of what Eighteen was saying. She was saying that Marron and I could get married, and whomever I choose as a mate could just be a concubine," he nearly hissed.

He has been able to put the conversation in the back of his mind when he was with Pan earlier. She made everything okay, but now that he was talking about it again, he felt so angry all over again.

"You didn't kick her ass?!" Bulla gasped.

"I was close to it," Trunks muttered.

"Oh, Oppa," Bulla sighed. She grabbed his arm, "tell me about your Princess. I need to know some information if you want me to help out."

"Her name is Pan, and Bulla, you'll like her," he smiled. "Her birthday is the fourteenth day of Fall and she's sixteen, so she's just a little bit older than you. She enjoys making dresses, too."

"No way!" Bulla gasped. "Oppa, you've got to bring her here!" She said as she tugged on his arm.

Trunks chuckled, "that's the goal. I'll need to get into Eomma's lab and get one of those anti-gravity bracelets. Our gravity here would be too much for Panna."

"Panna?" Bull raised a sly eyebrow. "Is that your pet name for her?"

"Shut up," Trunks muttered as Bulla cackled.

"His expression was serious, but I liked the way it softened when he looked at me. Like the way he looked at me was different from the way he looked at anyone else."
-Unknown