Authors Note: I want to thank you all so much for the reviews! I am glad you're happy with the way it is coming along!
Unlikely Love
A small sob worked it's way from her pressed lips as she thought of her mother, who had held her when she'd dreamed of horrid things, and of Juunanagou who had given her her first pair of red ribbons when she was four. Her family, that had protected her, had managed to cause so much choas outside their own little world. She had been so blind to who they really were, she told herself, yet inside she knew they had loved her. She felt so guilty, having lived such a warm life, never having to fear being killed by the ...the ...jinzoninzens. To her, though, they would always be her family, even if they had lived two different lives. She had seen the good in them and she would hold that dear for eternity.
Whiping at her eyes, she turned toward the toddler that slept beside her, and whisper softly into his hair, "I will never let anyone hurt you." Closing her eyes, she told herself it was because her family had been the cause of him losing his own, but she knew it was because she had grown to love this child in the few hours she held him close to her heart. Cuddlings him close, as if he were her own child, she lay there until sleep over came her and all thoughts of life were over thrown by the world of dreams.
Sun tickled in from a gap in the cutrains that hadn't been closed last night, making the blond tredrils of Marron's hair appear golden in the birth of a new day. The sound of a giggle in her ear brought her frame turning a bit, the sign of sleep slowly vanishing as she came awake, "Well, I guess there won't be any sleeping in, huh, tyke?" She laughed with actually mirth when he tumbled backwards at her sudden words, having frightened him. His giggling echoed off the walls as he gathered himself up onto his own feet again, his small frame bouncing as he walked toward her on the bed.
"Kiyoshi hungry!" He said, opening his arms to her, his smile wide and true of a child that had slept soundly, and rather safely, the night before. He patted his stomach as if to bring more enthusiasm to his words, and Marron laughed as she swept him into her thin arms.
"Ah, now, we can't have such things happenings! With all that food in our fridge, neither of us should ever feel hungry again." Standing, she moved into the dinning area, and just was she was about to deposite him in a chair she stoped, her eyes going wide at what she saw. Sitting just inside the front door was a buster chair, along with what appeared to be a box full of toys. Tears stung her eyes, "Oh, Trunks, you didn't have too," she said softly even as her own eyes went wide again. Where had that come from, she most certainly didn't know if Trunks had done with. Bulma could have very well had done it.
"I know I didn't have to do it, but I wanted to." Marron swung around, Kiyoshi seated safely on her hip, and peered at the man in question. He was leaning against her counter in a lazy motion, his long lavender hair pulled back in a low ponytail. A gasp parted her lips, her eyes going wide with fright, and then shifting into uncertainty. "I.. didn't mean to scary you." He muttered, straightening at the sign of fear that had flickered in her emotional hues.
"I'm not scared," Her voice was soft, her eyes peircing into his very own, as if she was looking into his very soul. He shifted under her gaze, his eyes moving to look in the opposit direction. "I, um, do you need anything?" She asked, turning her back on him to pull the buster seat closer to the table and sit Kiyoshi down. "How about eggs, hun?" She asked Kiyoshi, tabbling his nose softly, happy to be able to turn away from Trunks for a minute.
"No, I didn't come for eggs," Trunks muttered, his mind not really on what she was saying as he watched her lean down to put the child in his seat, his eyes taking in the small curve of her hips, the gentle way her body moved. He almost cursed himself, thinking of her in this way. Kami, he had been trying to kill her for over three months, and now here he is, taking in her body as if he had the right to. He had to get out of here quickly before he made a full out of himself.
"That's alright, I wasn't asking you if you wanted eggs. I was asking Kiyoshi." She turned to face him, laughter lighting her soft eyes, "Though I wouldn't mind making a few extra if you wanted to stay." She moved toward the fridge, pulling out a small basket of eggs, which she set on the counter with one hand, while reaching with the other to grab a frying pan.
"No, I already ate," He said quickly, not wanting to stay one more minute in here, with her. Watching her more about, care for that little boy as if she was his mother. "I just came to.. to apologize for.. for what I did to you, chasing you all over. I had the right to, though, believe you were like your mother." He said, having the sudden feeling like he'd just put his foot in his mouth.
"Excuse me?" Marron stoped what she was doing, her hand freezing in mid air, forgetting all about the frying pan she was folding. "You think you had the right to believe I was just like my mother? How can you say such a thing! Just because she was my mother doesn't mean I am just like her! You can not judge me by my family! If I was to judge your mother by what I think of you I'd believe her arrogant and rude!" She huffed, her small body pumping.
"You think I'm arrogant?" He asked, his voice becoming low. "What have I done to make you believe that?" His glare was digging into her, and all the fight that had been raging through her body seemed to trickle out slowly.
"I... I shouldn't of said that, I'm sorry. It's just when you talk about my mother as if she was some.. some horrible being. I can't take it, she wasn't like that for me. She was my mother. My protector." She laid the frying pan down on the stove, her cheeks flaming. "I'm so sorry." She cracked an egg, her body turning away from him as she busied herself with fixing breakfast. Kiyoshi patted softly on the table with his fingers, amused by something that was going on outside the kitchen window.
Trunks' body stiffened, his hands tucking into the pockets of his coat. "No, look, I'm sorry. It was my fault. I don't think what I'm trying to say is coming out right.." He muttered more to himself then to her, his eyes narrowing in thought as he watched her crack eggs into a fryinf pan. "What I meant was that I had a right to be.. afraid of you." His pushed off against the wall when he wall her body stiffen.
"Was she really that awful, my mother? That you would fear me? I couldn't.." She swollowed a lump that had appeared in her throat, "I could never hurt anyone. Not anyone!" Tears sung at her cheeks and she hurried to whip them on her sleve. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to cry. I guess I've just been to scared to cry as of lately, it's all coming out now. I cry at the stupidest things..." She said weakly, continuing to flip eggs.
".. I'm sorry, Marron." He said quickly, and moved toward the door, stoping only to ruffle Kiyoshi's hair in an unnoticed gesture as he exited. The room was quiet for a minute after his departure, which was quickly livened up by Kiyoshi's giggles when Marron started to sing while cookings.
Marron ran a towl through her resently washed hair while trying to watch Kiyoshi from the corner of her eye, who was entertaining himself by trying to put his shoes on. Sighing in contentment, she laid the towl on the bed and reached for the two ribbions she had found inside the box that Trunks had brought. Combing her hair into two low pigtails, she tied them off with the ribbons and turned to getting dressed. To match the bows, she put on a white knit top and a pink jumper. Tying off her own yellow sneakers, she grabbed a hat and set it on her head. Perfect to keep the sun out of her eyes.
"Alright, Kiyoshi, lets get those shoes on!" He came racing over to her, his face aglow with a warm smile. He was dressed in a green top and blue overalls, which she thought made him looks so handsome. Tying his shoes, she ran a comb through his hair. "Do you want a hat, too, Kiyoshi?" She asked, and at his strong shake of "no", she took his hand and lead him out the door. This morning, at breakfast, he'd been so transfixed with something outside, and when she finally peered out that window to see what it was, a small playground had been built off in a grassy area and kids were playing.
"We go out to play?" He asked, gazing up at her as they walked down the hall to the exit.
"Yep, we're going outside to play," Marron said in a childish tone, her face brightened with laughter. She'd never played on a playground, either, and though she didn't plan to today, she was happy she would get to see his first time on a playground. Swinging up into her arms as they exited the door, she ran with him in her arms, causing him to laugh with joy, and Marron's heart swelled. This was the happist she'd ever been.
"Okay," she set him down at the entrance of the playground and pointed to a bench near by, "I'll be over there watching, okay?" Nodding, he raced inside to join the other kids. Smiling to herself, she set down on the wooden bench, watching as Kiyoshi raced from the slid to a swing and back again.
"He seems to have adjusted well." Bulma appeared at Marrons side, her long turquoise hair falling down her shoulders in smooth waves. "I'm glad he's happy here, and I'm glad you're with us." She set down beside the girl, her eyes kind.
"I.. Thank you, Mrs...?" Marron blinked, not quite knowing what to call the women who had been so kind to her.
"Bulma is fine. I see you found the ribbons. I'm glad you like them." Bulma nodded toward the pink ribbons that decorated Maron pale blond hair.
"Oh, they're from you? Thank you so much, and I do love them. I've never had pink before. Red was always the ribbon color my mother gave me." Marron saw the flicker of what seemed to be pain cross Bulmas face and wasn't sure if she'd said something wrong. Sighing, she stared off into the distance. Hearing about her mother would of course hurt Bulma.
Bulma glanced at the young women beside of, who couldn't possibly know what had just passed through her mind. Red Ribbon Army. What a cruel gift, and Marron probably never knew. "Well, I believe I'm being needed upstairs. I had to come and make sure you were settled in alright, though, before I went about business. I'm glad to know you've settled in nicely." With a warm smile the women walked away.
Trunks watched as Marron chased Kiyoshi around an old tree, her frace bright with color from the cold that was nipping at her cheeks. Laughing, Kiyoshi dodged her arms that went to encircle him and ran toward the playground, Marron chasing behind me. She paused halfway there, her hat flying from her head and off into the wind. He heard her yell "No!" And started chasing it about, Kiyoshi watching with amusement a few week from the entrance of the playroom.
Her skirt lifted to her knees as she jumped to reach her hat though with no success. Being four foot eleven had it's problems. fists came to her hips as she watched her hat float away from her, a frown tugging the corner of pale lips. Well, that was the worest of luck. Frowning, she turned around, only to find Trunks stranding a few feet infront of her, her hat in hand. Well, now how did he do that!
Laughter filled this eyes as he held it out to her, and she grinned as she took it, fixing it back uptop her head. "Thank you, Trunks," she smiled as she talked to him, her hands moving into the front pockets of her dress, "but how did you manage to get it, when I had only just turned my back on it?" She asked sweetly, brow quivered.
A smirk tilted one side of his lips as he stepped toward her, and perseded until he was standing directly infront of her, his arms crossed over his chest. Her smile shifted a bit and she had the earg to step back. This was way to close, she could smell him. The smell of soap and a sint that was pure him. Her eyes widened a bit, and as she moved to step away, his arms encircled her waist. Without thinking what he was doing he lifted them both clearly off the ground.
She clung tightly to her frame, her eyes glued onto a little spar above his chin. Oh, Kami, she was flying. No, he's flying! She gasped, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, her grip deathly tight. "Oh, please don't drop me. I'm so afraid of hieghts." He chuckled in her ear, and a little shiver that was pure feminim ran down her spin.
"I'm not going to drop you, Marron. There's nothing to be afraid of." She glanced down, and Kiyoshi, who was staring up at them with a goofy smile and waving really big as he watched them looked like a small doll. She closed her eyes, dizziness over taking her.
"Oh, please, can we go down? I won't ever ask another question, promise." Trunks, laughter rumbling from deep within him, something that hadn't happened in what seemed like since he was a boy, lowered her down onto the ground before release her.
"See, nothing to be afraid of, Marron." Her eyes were wide, her cheeks flushed. Glancing around, she found Kiyoshi at her side and picked him up as if he were a life line.
"Th-thank you for the ride, but we should probably be going back inside now, it's a bit cool out, and I wouldn't want him to be getting a cold." Shifting him into the curve of her hip she walked back toward the entrance of the building, Trunks all the while watching her gentle movements. There, up in the sky, with her in his arms he had made himself a desicion. She would be his, even if she didn't know it yet.
....... I told you it would be CONTINUED SOON. :)