Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ and I'm not making any money from this.
Chapter 5: You Know You Love Me Really
September 3rd (Evening)
"Aww, Trunks, you know what these machines are like. They're rigged so it's damned impossible to grab anything. Forget about it, it's alright."
Marron's laughter interrupted my train of thought, and although her smile is always infectious and I usually smile back after two seconds at the most, this time I didn't.
"If I can just...make it so that it's directly over..." I muttered through gritted teeth.
My expression was the epitome of concentration as I guided the crane towards my prey. Hah, that was it, perfect! It was make or break time. My hand hovered uncertainly over the red button for a few seconds, then I shrugged, pushing it and watching anxiously as the crane made its descent. The claws opened, closing right over the thing's head, locked tight, and began rising into the air once again.
Even though Marron was cheering already, I kept my attention on the crane. Just one bang against the walls of the machine and that was another waste of money. It didn't bang. Hovering over the prize chute, the claw loosened its grip, and the prize dropped straight down the hole.
"Yes!" Marron punched the air with one hand, kneeling down and retrieving the teddy from the chute. My face broke into a grin as I watched her laughing, holding the stuffed Kero doll high in the air. She smiled, throwing her arms around me.
"I've been looking everywhere for a Kero!" she said gleefully. "I knew you could do it!"
"Sure you did" I said, amused, and she stuck her tongue out at me.
"How much money did you spend trying to win me that thing?"
"Um...I dunno, a few dollars?" I was lying through my teeth. Truth was, I'd lost count after the first twenty tries. Ah well, as long as I'd done it in the end.
"Where'd you wanna go next?" Marron was smiling at me again. I almost melted, until I remembered that I was a guy, and I was above all that pathetic lovey stuff.
"Well, we've been to the cinema, arcades, on all those rides at the amusement park." I glared at her, remembering how she'd forced me to go on one of the huge rollercoasters with her even though she knew I'd just had dinner. I'd spent most of the time after that trying to keep my lunch where it was.
"Yeah, it's getting late isn't it?" Marron asked, turning towards the beach and gazing at the sun as it started to sink in the sky. I watched as her eyes fell on the big carousel ride, which was about to go round one final time. I also noted the glint in her eye and tried to sneak off, but to no avail.
"Come on, Trunks, hurry up!" she cried, grabbing my hand and making a run for the carousel. "Wait!"
The guy who was operating the ride grinned as we slowed to a stop in front of him.
"Sorry, you two, only one horse left," he said, gesturing to the pink and blue painted model.
"It's okay," I said, relieved. "Maz, you take it."
"Oh no, mister, you're not getting away with it so easily! We're both going on that ride."
"But you heard what he said..." My protests fell on deaf ears as Marron pulled me after her, motioning for me to get on the horse.
"What am I doing?" I sighed.
"You're having fun with me, of course! Now help me up."
She smiled at me, climbing up into my lap and putting her arms around the horse's neck. I shook my head in amusement as she waved at the guy that he could start the ride.
"You'd better hold onto me so you don't fall off," Marron said, giggling. "I think this is a lot more fun than when you bought that bike last time."
"Maybe for you," I grumbled, slipping my arms around her waist, partly to keep my balance, partly just to touch her, and partly because if I closed my eyes and just listened to her voice as she sang along with the music coming from the speakers in the middle of the ride, I could almost pretend that we were actually together, not just friends.
~~~~
Why am I such a coward? Why can't I tell her how I feel? What am I so afraid of? Well, besides rejection? And losing my best friend? And rejection? And being humiliated? And rejection? Did I mention rejection, by the way? I'm starting to think I should maybe see a psychologist of some sort. Do they even have psychologists who'd be able to advise me about being in love with my best friend who views me as Non Offensive Male?
"What're you looking so serious for?"
I looked up at Marron, who was gazing at me with those gorgeous big blue eyes of hers, and shrugged.
"Just thinking about stuff."
"About Aya?" she asked, shooting me a sly look from under her lashes. I shook my head.
"No, I was thinking about yo..erm, my mom."
You know how some people mentally kick themselves? Well, at that moment in time, I was mentally battering myself to death with a lead pipe. Where had 'my mom' come from?
"Don't worry, I'm sure there was someone covering for you." Marron was saying, and it took me a few seconds before my brain realised that she was talking about work. I nodded, stopping the car.
"Thanks for the lift." Marron smiled, leaning over. She gave me a quick hug and I sat there, inhaling the scent of her perfume and wishing I wasn't so pathetic. I bet if I was like Calvin Klein Ad Man that Marron always seems to hit it off with I'd have managed to get myself invited in for coffee by now. But I'm not Calvin Klein Ad Man. I'm Trunks Vegeta Briefs, Vice President of Capsule Corporation, and Non Offensive Male Extraordinaire. Lucky me. Shaking my head in frustration, I let the car creep forward a little. Just as I was about to floor it and speed as far as possible without getting pulled over, to take my mind off my extreme patheticness, I heard her voice.
"Trunks! Wait! Don't go!" I stopped, gazing at her curiously.
"What's up?"
"I left my keys at work," she said sheepishly. "Is it okay if I come back to yours?"
A smile instantly crept onto my face, and I nodded.
"Sure, Mar. I'll sleep on the sofa and you can have my bed"
She gave me a look, and I knew what she was going to say.
"Don't worry, I changed the sheets this morning after..." I trailed off as she quirked an eyebrow.
"You'd better have. I think I'd rather sleep on the sofa than sleep somewhere where I can tell you've been screwing my friends."
"I changed them. I'm getting good at this housework stuff." I said, grinning.
"I'm so proud of you," she said, wiping away an imaginary tear. I rolled my eyes and unlocked the car door for her.
"Any more of that sarcasm of yours and I'll leave you here."
She laughed, getting in the car. "Aw, come on, you know you love me really." she said, clicking her seatbelt into place.
"Yeah...you're right" I said softly, but the sound of the car radio drowned out my words.
~~~~
A/N: How about that? A (semi) quick update for Aerith! Hope you liked the chapter, and hope Trunks didn't come across as too feminine, do you have any idea how hard it is to write from a male pov? *shakes head in frustration* Well, that's all for now, see you soon for another update, remember, if you wanna know when I update, send an email my way or tell me in your review, okay? Oh, and Burned? Hmmm, that name sounds kinda familiar. I think I can remember you...but I'm not sure...*grins* Hehe, only joking, hon! I'll write you more chappies if you write me a new one to LTKY - deal? ^_^ But seriously, I know it's tough when you're busy with real life, so just update when you can. I'll be looking forward to chapter 7!
Note: Just before I forget, Kero isn't mine either. He's from Card Captor Sakura, which I do not own. Damn..I'd like to own Yue, though. *sigh*
Chapter 5: You Know You Love Me Really
September 3rd (Evening)
"Aww, Trunks, you know what these machines are like. They're rigged so it's damned impossible to grab anything. Forget about it, it's alright."
Marron's laughter interrupted my train of thought, and although her smile is always infectious and I usually smile back after two seconds at the most, this time I didn't.
"If I can just...make it so that it's directly over..." I muttered through gritted teeth.
My expression was the epitome of concentration as I guided the crane towards my prey. Hah, that was it, perfect! It was make or break time. My hand hovered uncertainly over the red button for a few seconds, then I shrugged, pushing it and watching anxiously as the crane made its descent. The claws opened, closing right over the thing's head, locked tight, and began rising into the air once again.
Even though Marron was cheering already, I kept my attention on the crane. Just one bang against the walls of the machine and that was another waste of money. It didn't bang. Hovering over the prize chute, the claw loosened its grip, and the prize dropped straight down the hole.
"Yes!" Marron punched the air with one hand, kneeling down and retrieving the teddy from the chute. My face broke into a grin as I watched her laughing, holding the stuffed Kero doll high in the air. She smiled, throwing her arms around me.
"I've been looking everywhere for a Kero!" she said gleefully. "I knew you could do it!"
"Sure you did" I said, amused, and she stuck her tongue out at me.
"How much money did you spend trying to win me that thing?"
"Um...I dunno, a few dollars?" I was lying through my teeth. Truth was, I'd lost count after the first twenty tries. Ah well, as long as I'd done it in the end.
"Where'd you wanna go next?" Marron was smiling at me again. I almost melted, until I remembered that I was a guy, and I was above all that pathetic lovey stuff.
"Well, we've been to the cinema, arcades, on all those rides at the amusement park." I glared at her, remembering how she'd forced me to go on one of the huge rollercoasters with her even though she knew I'd just had dinner. I'd spent most of the time after that trying to keep my lunch where it was.
"Yeah, it's getting late isn't it?" Marron asked, turning towards the beach and gazing at the sun as it started to sink in the sky. I watched as her eyes fell on the big carousel ride, which was about to go round one final time. I also noted the glint in her eye and tried to sneak off, but to no avail.
"Come on, Trunks, hurry up!" she cried, grabbing my hand and making a run for the carousel. "Wait!"
The guy who was operating the ride grinned as we slowed to a stop in front of him.
"Sorry, you two, only one horse left," he said, gesturing to the pink and blue painted model.
"It's okay," I said, relieved. "Maz, you take it."
"Oh no, mister, you're not getting away with it so easily! We're both going on that ride."
"But you heard what he said..." My protests fell on deaf ears as Marron pulled me after her, motioning for me to get on the horse.
"What am I doing?" I sighed.
"You're having fun with me, of course! Now help me up."
She smiled at me, climbing up into my lap and putting her arms around the horse's neck. I shook my head in amusement as she waved at the guy that he could start the ride.
"You'd better hold onto me so you don't fall off," Marron said, giggling. "I think this is a lot more fun than when you bought that bike last time."
"Maybe for you," I grumbled, slipping my arms around her waist, partly to keep my balance, partly just to touch her, and partly because if I closed my eyes and just listened to her voice as she sang along with the music coming from the speakers in the middle of the ride, I could almost pretend that we were actually together, not just friends.
~~~~
Why am I such a coward? Why can't I tell her how I feel? What am I so afraid of? Well, besides rejection? And losing my best friend? And rejection? And being humiliated? And rejection? Did I mention rejection, by the way? I'm starting to think I should maybe see a psychologist of some sort. Do they even have psychologists who'd be able to advise me about being in love with my best friend who views me as Non Offensive Male?
"What're you looking so serious for?"
I looked up at Marron, who was gazing at me with those gorgeous big blue eyes of hers, and shrugged.
"Just thinking about stuff."
"About Aya?" she asked, shooting me a sly look from under her lashes. I shook my head.
"No, I was thinking about yo..erm, my mom."
You know how some people mentally kick themselves? Well, at that moment in time, I was mentally battering myself to death with a lead pipe. Where had 'my mom' come from?
"Don't worry, I'm sure there was someone covering for you." Marron was saying, and it took me a few seconds before my brain realised that she was talking about work. I nodded, stopping the car.
"Thanks for the lift." Marron smiled, leaning over. She gave me a quick hug and I sat there, inhaling the scent of her perfume and wishing I wasn't so pathetic. I bet if I was like Calvin Klein Ad Man that Marron always seems to hit it off with I'd have managed to get myself invited in for coffee by now. But I'm not Calvin Klein Ad Man. I'm Trunks Vegeta Briefs, Vice President of Capsule Corporation, and Non Offensive Male Extraordinaire. Lucky me. Shaking my head in frustration, I let the car creep forward a little. Just as I was about to floor it and speed as far as possible without getting pulled over, to take my mind off my extreme patheticness, I heard her voice.
"Trunks! Wait! Don't go!" I stopped, gazing at her curiously.
"What's up?"
"I left my keys at work," she said sheepishly. "Is it okay if I come back to yours?"
A smile instantly crept onto my face, and I nodded.
"Sure, Mar. I'll sleep on the sofa and you can have my bed"
She gave me a look, and I knew what she was going to say.
"Don't worry, I changed the sheets this morning after..." I trailed off as she quirked an eyebrow.
"You'd better have. I think I'd rather sleep on the sofa than sleep somewhere where I can tell you've been screwing my friends."
"I changed them. I'm getting good at this housework stuff." I said, grinning.
"I'm so proud of you," she said, wiping away an imaginary tear. I rolled my eyes and unlocked the car door for her.
"Any more of that sarcasm of yours and I'll leave you here."
She laughed, getting in the car. "Aw, come on, you know you love me really." she said, clicking her seatbelt into place.
"Yeah...you're right" I said softly, but the sound of the car radio drowned out my words.
~~~~
A/N: How about that? A (semi) quick update for Aerith! Hope you liked the chapter, and hope Trunks didn't come across as too feminine, do you have any idea how hard it is to write from a male pov? *shakes head in frustration* Well, that's all for now, see you soon for another update, remember, if you wanna know when I update, send an email my way or tell me in your review, okay? Oh, and Burned? Hmmm, that name sounds kinda familiar. I think I can remember you...but I'm not sure...*grins* Hehe, only joking, hon! I'll write you more chappies if you write me a new one to LTKY - deal? ^_^ But seriously, I know it's tough when you're busy with real life, so just update when you can. I'll be looking forward to chapter 7!
Note: Just before I forget, Kero isn't mine either. He's from Card Captor Sakura, which I do not own. Damn..I'd like to own Yue, though. *sigh*