Still set in the Growing Pains 'verse, though this one features Uub and Marron, who are having their own relationship issues. At this point in the timeline I constructed, Pan hasn't dumped Trunks yet. This would've taken place early on in the story.

"Oh wow," Marron deadpanned, "you made it." She stood aside to let Uub enter the house, barely bridled anger making her hands shake. She forced a smile when he leaned in to kiss her cheek, "sorry I'm late. Where is everybody?"

"Gone home," she replied, forcing bubbliness into her voice, "because the housewarming party ended just over an hour ago." Marron let her voice go flat and cold, "I told you it was from 5:30 to 9 weeks ago, Uub, and I've texted multiple reminders."

Pan trundled out of the kitchen, dressed in an oversized t-shirt and cotton short shorts with a glass of wine in hand. She cocked her head to the side when she spotted Uub, "you're a little late, dude." She took a sip of the peach moscato and padded off towards the stairs, "I'm turning in, Mar," she gave her friend a sympathetic smile over her shoulder, "have a good night you two."

Marron waited until she heard Pan's door click shut and turned to her boyfriend tersely, "what held you up this time?" The heat she went for fell flat, leaving her voice monotonous. She was so tired of this bullshit it wasn't even funny.

"Some trouble in my village with poachers that I had to sort out." He explained without hesitation, and Marron felt a wave of guilt wash the irritation away. She couldn't be upset with him for protecting his home...

"Oh," she mumbled, "well… is everything alright now?"

"It took some time but the village is safe for now," Uub's gaze narrowed, "they'll be back, they never stay away for long no matter what I do."

Kami, and I was so upset that he didn't make it to the party while he was just keeping his home safe. What kind of girlfriend am I?

Marron swallowed and grabbed his arm, "are you hungry? We've got some leftovers and I haven't put all the food away."

"Leftovers? Weren't Gohan, Goten, Trunks, and Vegeta all here?" Uub cocked his head to the side, "not to mention Pan and Bra."

"We made a lot of food," the blonde snickered, "well? Are you hungry?"

"That depends on whether or not you made those crab puff things that I love."

"I hid a couple of platters just for you." Marron smiled warmly, "they're in the oven and they should still be warm." She pulled away to head into the kitchen, only to stop short when Uub grasped her arm. Mildly surprised, she glanced back at him in silent question.

"I really am sorry about missing the party, Mar," Uub implored, "please believe me, it's just... I'm the protector of my village and the world, sometimes I just get caught up in the responsibilities and lost track of time."

"It's fine," Marron forced a smile even as a surge of bitter choler threatened to choke her, "I understand. Your responsibilities come first." She leaned in and kissed his cheek, "come eat."

Why am I angry? It's understandable, he can't just drop everything for me. That wouldn't be fair. He's Goku's successor, after all.

A small bitter part of the blonde wondered why Gohan or Goten couldn't take on their father's mantle, but she pushed aside before she could drift further along that train of thought. It wasn't like she could go back in time and change things, she just had to make do.

And she would. Despite his shortcomings, Marron loved Uub deeply and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him... she just wished he wouldn't be so forgetful and would spend more time with her.

Seeing Goten and Bra's relationship thriving when she was rarely lucky enough to get a text back half the time was beginning to grate on Marron.

Maybe Pan was onto something with the whole perpetual singleness thing she's got going. The thought of breaking things off with Uub was abhorrent, but when was the last time she'd truly been happy and content in her relationship with him?

"So listen," Marron began hesitantly as she busied herself with making a plate fit for the Majin hybrid's stellar appetite, "our anniversary's coming up and I made reservations for us at this really nice restaurant. It's super low key, no formal dress or whatever... I thought it'd be nice to go out and eat. We haven't had a proper date in a while and what better occasion than our anniversary?"

"Oh yeah, that sounds cool," Uub commented, sounding somewhat distant, "I'll be there with bells on."

"Great. I'll text you the name of the restaurant and the time later on this week." Marron finished loading the plate up and set it down on the island counter, "I'm gonna go shower and get ready for bed. I've got work in the morning."

"Aw, can't you just sit with me for a little bit, Mar?" Uub gently snared her wrist after she put his plate down, "I haven't seen you all day."

You haven't seen me all week.

"I have to be out of here by 6 and I need my rest, babe," she tugged her wrist out of his grasp, "you go ahead and eat."

"What's a few minutes gonna hurt?"

Marron clenched her jaw and snapped, "I don't try to wheedle you into spending time with me when you have to leave to go train or protect your village because those are your responsibilities. Don't do that to me when I'm trying to take care of mine."

Uub reared back in his chair as if he'd been slapped, "Mar, I just wanted a few minutes 1 on 1, that can't be too much to ask."

"I..." Marron gulped audibly, steeling her resolve, "I'm going to bed, you can let yourself out. The spare key's on a magnet under the lip of the planter to the right side of the door." She left the room before her boyfriend could try to ply her further.

As she made her way up the stairs, Pan poked her head out of her bedroom, "hey, are you okay?" Her voice was soft and airy with sleepiness, "you feel a little... tense."

"Oh. Yeah," she forced a smile, "I just have to get ready for bed."

Pan gave her a disbelieving look, "are you sure?"

"That I have to get ready for bed?"

Pan narrowed her brown eyes, "you know," she paused to yawn, "what I mean."

"I'm fine, Pan-chan," Marron rolled her eyes, "go back to bed, you have to get up even earlier than I do." She made shooing motions with her hands.

"Alright, fine, fine," Pan held her hands up in mock-surrender, "I'll leave you alone." A soft yawn distorted the last few words, and the quarter saiyan smiled sleepily and ducked back into the darkness of her bedroom, "night, Mar."

"Good night, Pan," the blonde murmured as her door clicked shut. She glanced at the stairs over her shoulder, at war with herself.

Why do you always choose the most inconvenient times to want to be present? Kami… They always seemed to be out of phase with each other and it was growing tiresome. Marron shook her head, simultaneously dispelling any lasting doubts, and disappeared into her own room.

Maybe after this time he'll get it right. To be very honest, she'd long grown tired of all the 'after this time' she'd given Uub. Perhaps this next chance would be the last.

Basically, in this 'verse, out of the three couples, Bra and Goten are the only ones who are thriving, Pan, Trunks, Uub, and Marron are going through it and then some. Hope you enjoyed the read.

*~*CloudSpires1295*~*