When Spring Came

Chapter 3: Bumper-To-Bumper

AN: THE SONG THEY LISTENED TO IS LILAC BY IU BTW. it actually is in my marroncore playlist and the english lyrics match some of the stuff goin on

Marron begrudgingly sat in the passenger seat of, admittedly, a luxurious car. Due to an unfortunate series of events she is now stuck in the worst possible scenario with Trunks; stuck in lunch-time traffic, besides what seemed to be the most obnoxious driver in existence. Was it vital to make a comment every time someone shoved their way in front of you, or that people were moving too slow?

He's an alien freak with supernatural powers, he can just pick up the car and fling it to where the congestion clears up. Or, better yet, leave her and fly off…Marron definitely didn't mind the drive, anyway. "Oh come on asshole!" His hand outstretched as it slammed back down to the leather wheel.

Marron let out a sigh, her arm propped up on the armrest as her hand lay covering her eyes. Partly due to the sun, the other to avoid eye contact with Trunks and the civilians simply trying to get to their destination. "Do you have to live in the Libra district?" Trunks rolled his eyes, his fingers drumming impatiently on the wheel, "that place is always packed."

"Boo-hoo, cry me a fucking river," Marron groaned as she looked out the window, "you shouldn't have offered if you were going to complain…" She was definitely in her right to complain, every little thing that he did irritated her. His annoying complaining, his smart comments, his stupidly perfect face…all of it was obnoxious,

Trunks stayed quiet. She was right, for once. She never asked to be taken home by him, he kind of just forced the idea unto her, and here they were. He looked over to the blonde whose face was fully turned towards the window. Her long tresses brushing against her waist, her hair was rather glossy – much to Trunks' annoyance the light practically refracted off of it.

"So…" Trunks began, making an attempt at conversation to fill the dead air, "do you uh–, want some…music on?"

Marron turned over to look at him, "yeah actually."

"Okay, pick," he replied as he passed her his phone which was sitting inside the cupholder between them.

Marron fumbled to grab the phone, holding the rather large phone in her hands. She preferred a smaller fit, it always felt strange to hold a new phone. She eyed the screen, her nails clicking on the screen as she typed on the screen, putting on a sugary pop-beat, a whispery and feminine voice singing about flowers or lilacs or something — Trunks, mainly tuned it out.

"You and Bulla listen to the same stuff," Trunks stated, glancing over to the blonde who he caught mouthing the lyrics.

"No we don't," Marron scoffed, her arms crossed, "I listen to mainly bubblegum pop, she listens to r&b and hip-hop." The fact Trunks was so musically unintuitive didn't surprise her, his only exposure to human culture for the past three years were phone calls and tv from that dumb space trip he took.

Trunks rolled his eyes, a fake laugh along with it, "the fact you care is hilarious." Marron huffed, as she folded her arms as the chorus of the song continued on, as she hummed along with the beat of the song. Trunks continued to ignore her the best he could but tapped his fingers to the beat eliciting a smile from her.

They rode in relative silence the rest of the way, with a stray comment about something along the way but what Trunks found, is Marron is the definition of a girly girl. Everything in the way she presented herself was hyper-feminine, down to the intoxicatingly obnoxious scent. Granted, he wouldn't find the scent itself obnoxious on anyone else, but because it was her he did.

"Make a left here," Marron chimed in as Trunks' pulled into the parking lot of the bulbous-looking skyscraper. In the fashion of West City, the oddly cylindrical buildings were a mainstay of the architecture of the city. Trunks parked the car and glanced over to Marron, whose hand hovered over the handle. "Ah…thank you, Trunks."

Trunks quirked a brow, what was she thanking him for. Wasn't it expected as her fake boyfriend to do this kind of thing? He smiled awkwardly, "you're welcome." He watched as Marron slowly opened the door before she paused and whipped her head back over to him. "What?"

"When do we tell your parents?" Marron chewed on her bottom lip, "Bulla is under the impression of it, but what about your mom and dad…it's only a matter of time before she spills the beans," she pointed out. An astute observation by the blonde, but Trunks like always, was ten steps ahead of her,

"Well that's the plan," Trunks replied, a smirk on his lips. "Just follow my lead, babe." Nope. It still didn't feel natural. But he was going to keep doing it until it was natural. "Trust me, 'kay?" Marron glanced at him and nodded her head as she slinked out of the car. "I'll call you," Trunks said as he saluted her off.

Marron watched as he pulled out of the parking lot and drove off, and suddenly her chest felt a lot lighter. She sighed as she trotted off into her apartment. As she swung the door open, she took a deep breath as she hurried to the couch and face-planted onto the cushions, a loud groan emitting from the pits of her throat. She felt completely exhausted, there was just so much to process, and the situation that was supposed to be her finding love with her crush ended up being the direct opposite was, admittedly, very stressful.

Why couldn't Marron just be happy for once in her adult life? She flipped her body to stare at the ceiling of her apartment, huffing as she focused on the imperfections of the paint job she did herself. She hung her legs over the arm of her sofa, kicking her heels off and sending them flying to oblivion.

As she focused, she could feel the tears begin to appear. It was now that she was truly alone with her emotions, and decompressing from the stressful aftermath of something that she didn't want to admit was partly her fault. She thought of Goten, thought of how that girl must have felt wrapped in his arms. Arms she's felt before but under the sense of friendship and never amorous intention.

She wondered, how it must have felt, to feel his heart against her ear and the gentle hums of "I love you's" paired off with kisses against her forehead. Instead, what she was met with were the likes of Trunks, a part of her was hopeful that what he said was true. That he would realize what he's missing once it's gone, but there was a nagging feeling in her chest that she was not enough. She felt her chest ache as a single tear dropped from her left eye, her hands gripping the fabric of her shirt.

There was no alcohol to try and mask the pain she felt, all she had was herself. She could tell herself all the lies in the world, that her beauty and charm were greater than the woman in his arms, however, as Marron grabbed her phone and scrolled through social media. She saw pictures of her, and she tried to find similar features in her reflection.

Valese, that was her name. She said it at the party but her ears had deafened themselves the moment she met her. Beautiful, voluptuous features, a slender nose and cat-like eyes with thick full lips and tall. Goodness was she tall…and beautiful. Marron was always told she was cute. Like a little doll, that's what the people she knew in her life would see since she came of age. But she wasn't sexy by any means; she wasn't a mysterious beauty and she wouldn't kid herself into believing she could ever be. She sat up and hugged her knees as she glanced at the floor.

She placed her phone against the glass coffee table in her living room, the glow from the sun seeping through cracks in the blinds. Marron paused her teary eyes looking up at the ceiling once more. Part of her wished he would show up, sensing her tears and her emotional distraught, and come save her from the loneliness within. She spiked her ki, only slightly almost as a pathetic attempt to catch his attention.

Maybe he'd come, it wasn't like she did it often. No one came, of course. What did she expect? Marron sighed as she laid her hand on the camel-colored leather couch, grazing her nails against the fabric. Marron stood up from the pathetic cocoon she'd made of herself, slugging herself to the bathroom. Her limbs felt heavy with every step like chains were linked to her ankles. She stripped herself down to her nude form, she breathed in deeply, as tears continued to streak her makeup. Wet lashes stuck together as she hiccuped from the crying, feeling as her facial muscles contracted, tears stinging her eyes as she cried, water running from the faucet.

It was another low point for her, crying tears for a man who never expressed love for her. It was hard, feeling so much over someone who never gave her the time of day. She felt like her heart was a pincushion with a thousand needles, Marron pulled herself together, wiping her tears with her wrist as she ran a hot shower, slipping herself in.

The comfort of the warmth was enough to calm the blonde for a moment. The water, which to some was like magma, comforted her, letting her imagine she was enveloped in the warmth of another human's embrace. She let the high pressure from the showerhead beat down her back as she looked up at the ceiling.

She was tired, holding in her silly emotions was all too much. She looked at her hands, dejectedly observing the wet skin. She was a jumbled nervous mess, and all she wanted now was to curl up in her bed for the rest of the day and not think about anything surrounding her life. She scrubbed her skin clean with her loofah and rinsed. Wrapping herself up in a towel as she dragged herself into the dark interiors of her bedroom. Flopping down into the white sheets as she stared off into the dresser, her eyes unfocusing as she drifted into sleep.

Trunks drove himself home, midway through his trek back from the bustling and youthful Libra district, he felt a strange ki spike from Marron. He nearly hit the brakes but found himself focusing on her. There was no one around her that was seemingly posing a threat.

Why had she done that? There must have been a reason… Trunks saw as it went back to normal, and he ignored the nagging feeling in the back of his head to turn back and check. She probably just saw a roach or something and freaked out, there wasn't a reason to worry. There wasn't a reason to worry at all. That's what he told himself as he drove back to Capsule Corporation, and in the midst of his returning home, he felt another ki signature on the premises.

Goten and Pan, the two really came out all this way to talk to him about their reason discovery? Trunks slipped into the building to immediately be bombarded by his sister, best friend, and his best friend's niece. "Took you long enough!" Bulla chided as she walked over to her older brother, her arms folded indignantly. She seemed to have made an outfit change from an hour ago. Bulla now sported a high ponytail, biker shorts, and an oversized hot pink shirt tied to the waist.

"Oh my god, did he finally get here?" Pan said from the living room, as she walked over peeking her head from the doorway. "Uncle Goten!" Pan yelled out, her hand cupping her mouth as a cheeky grin spread on her lips. She approached Trunks, stuffing her hands in her jean pockets. "Well well…" Pan said circling him, much like a shark. "You know we are gonna get the deets one way or another, right?"

Bulla smacked Pan on the side of her arm, "don't intimidate him, Pan…that's my job."

Trunks rolled his eyes as if these two bratty teens would be able to do such a thing? Trunks walked past the two wide-eyed teens as they trailed behind him before he met face to face with his best friend, who was sitting on the couch eating away at the snacks capsule corporation had. "Hey man," Goten said, food stuffed in his face.

Trunks walked up to the raven-haired hybrid smacking him in the back of the head, "don't talk with your mouth open, Goten that's gross," Trunks said half-jokingly as he slinked over the back of the couch into a seat. Promptly shoving his hand into the bag of chips Goten had been scarfing down before Trunks interrupted.

"Sorry," Goten said in between chews before swallowing hard. "So…can we get some like–" Goten began before Pan interjected, jumping from behind the two older Saiyans.

"Context?!" Pan exclaimed, her hands on both Trunks and Goten's shoulders, using as support as she squeezed in between the two. "Bulla and I need the full story," Pan exclaimed as she looked over to the hybrid princess who chose to sit in the armchair. "So…spill," Pan inched closer to Trunks' face, her eyes glowing determined.

Trunks backed up, holding his hands on the younger girls' shoulders. "Personal space, one," Trunks began, "and two, why haven't you asked Marron?"

"Well," Bulla began, as she grabbed her phone and attempted to dial Marron's number as it immediately went to voicemail. "She's gone AWOL, I'm assuming from the embarrassment from this morning," Bulla said as she placed the phone back to her lap. "So you would be our source."

Trunks held hands to his face as he pushed his hair back. "Well, man…where to start," Trunks started eyeing Goten, Bulla, and Pan as they clung to every word, anticipating some grandiose love story. He should probably stick to the story Marron and him agreed on. "Marron and I…we uh–"

He paused, trying to recollect his thoughts. Would it be too obvious if he made it all up if he seemed insecure about it? "It's kind of a funny story," Trunks picked up his slack, "remember right before I left for space how I was sparring with Goten?" He asked watching as the three nodded. "You wouldn't believe it, but she was actually planning on confessing her feelings for me then," Trunks wished he didn't use that small personal bit of information she shared, but anything to make the story believable.

Goten tilted his head, "she didn't seem like she was in love with you then." Goten recalled the fury of the singed blonde, he never imagined such a small body packed with such force, "It seemed like the opposite," Goten stroked his chin, side-eyeing his best friend.

"Yeah!" Pan pointed at Trunks, realization in her voice. "She said she hated you."

Trunks panicked but quickly dissipated. Fortunately for Trunks, he was being groomed to be a quick thinker, and part of that came with coming up with new innovations or moves on the spot. That was both Bulma and Vegeta's doing, and Trunks knew more than anything how important improvisation is. "That was just an act," Trunks clarified, "we didn't want to raise any animosity between my dad and her mom, you guys know how they feel about each other."

Bulla gasped, her hands barely touching her lips, "like…the Capulets and the Montagues!"

Trunks rolled his eyes, the comparison was good, but felt rather random. "Guess they taught you about Shakespeare in class, hm?" Bulla sunk back in her seat. Her brother could be gone for three years but he was still a can't take that from him, try as you might.

"And you may be wondering," Trunks began, watching the expression of the three other hybrids, "why did you make it official now?" God, he was good, he was scared of himself really. How did he gain this expertise when it came to fooling others? Was it his many trips to Crypso, where he claimed to be a merchant, mercenary, and several other roles to slip into different parts of the planet for resources?

"Well it's simple, we agreed if our feelings were still there when I returned, we would get together," Trunks said simply. There was a strange expression on Goten's face, he couldn't quite read it but it was quickly cut short by a phone call.

Goten looked down at his phone and back up to the three. "I uh–gotta take it, it's Valese," Goten said sheepishly as he walked out of the room.

As soon as he was far enough, Bulla looked over to Pan and Trunks. "I hate that skank," Bulla bit out, her arms folded. "Who does she think she is?" Bulla snapped, "she's coming in here all like— Oh hiii!" Bulla said in a mocking tone, fluttering her eyelashes, "My name's Valese and I'm stupid and pretty!" She continued holding a limp hand towards the two.

"Bulla, that's a bit harsh isn't it?" Trunks asked, quirking a brow at her sister's behavior. She was a teenage girl so he wouldn't question it. "What did she do to deserve that?"

"Be pretty," Bulla responded flatly, she concealed her other motives from the two. The truth was she was jealous because she was dating the man of her dreams. Goten had always been the boy she looked to as an example of a gentleman, why he hung around her brother was a mystery.

Trunks eyed the bluenette suspiciously but decided she would simply ignore the weird comment from the younger girl. "Anyway," Bulla said as she stood up walking over to Pan, who was already looking at the teen with dread, "pay up."

Trunks' eyes nearly popped out of his skull, his eyes switching between the two teens. Bulla, with a smug grin as she had her hand ready to receive cash, and Pan looked through her pockets for her wallet. "Woah Woah Woah, did you guys make a bet about this?" Trunks asked, watching as Pan flipped through her Zeni in her wallet.

"Yep," Pan said dejectedly. "We actually made this bet last night, I really thought Marron and Uncle Goten were meant to be." Pan sighed, she was really holding out for Marron to end up with Goten, but it seemed Bulla was already ahead of her, she must have known Marron and Trunks were dating, but to the extent that she still had to uphold her end of the bet…it was unfair.

And a little sad, Pan truly believed Marron was in love with her uncle. She's been able to see it…clear as day whenever they spoke to one another, she could see the brightness that glowed in her eyes. Still…something didn't feel right, Pan's intuition was never wrong. "Hold on," Pan paused, flicking her vision over to Trunks. "I think something isn't right here…"

Bulla paused, slinking her hand back to her folded arms position. "The hell?" Bulla asked, "you heard it from Trunks himself, Pan?!"

"I know that," Pan said looking over to the bewildered lavender-haired man. "But something is amiss…" Pan responded, her arms folded. "I will not believe it until I see those two actually dating and kissing." Trunks felt himself gag internally. Kiss? Just what were these girls coming up with? He couldn't kiss her, he could hardly stand being around her for a few hours.

"They obviously slept together," Bulla pointed out, recalling how she found the two in Trunks' room. Marron in his clothes that morning. Trunks could almost pass out, and have sex with Marron? He would rather die. She was already a handful in their public life. "What more evidence is there!"

"I don't trust it," Pan responded, sticking her nose up in the air. "How do we know Trunks isn't making this all up, Goten told me he needed a girlfriend because Bulma was making him go on blind dates." Trunks cursed his Bestfriend internally. Why did this girl know that, if not because they were babbling to each other?

But that meant…did Goten doubt it too? Trunks' panic rose again, these girls were getting him good. "Well trust it," Trunks cleared his throat as he got up, "honestly I don't appreciate you guys doubting my relationship–"

"Relationship?" A foreign voice peeped from the background. Trunks looked over to his mother standing at the other entrance to the living room. "What relationship?" she asked, he watched as her hands wrapped around the coffee mug, "you didn't tell me anything about this, Trunks."

"M-Mom I–" Trunks began before getting intercepted by Bulla.

"He's dating Marron!" The younger bluenette cheered with delight, causing Bulma's face to turn to complete shock. "I know!" Bulla excitedly exclaimed.

"Oh, hon…" Bulma held her hands to her lips, her fingers grazing them gently. "I am so—oh my gosh wait…Marron, as in Krillin and 18's daughter?" Trunks nodded slowly, his nerves were getting to him, but what could he do in this situation? He gulped down, glancing at his mother with a wary look. "Your dad is going to freak out," Bulma muttered.

"Well, yeah, see it's why I was so apprehensive about doing these blind dates–" Trunks began, clearing his throat as he tried to calm himself down. "I can't possibly be unfaithful while in a relationship," Trunks scoffed, "you would understand, right mom?"

Bulma looked off to the side, a slight nod. "I won't tell your father…yet, but I will want to meet with her," Bulma stated plainly, her arms crossed as she held herself in the ridiculously long silk coat. "I swear Trunks, you better not have bribed this sweet girl," Bulma responded. "I'll have to see it myself."

Herself? See it?

Admittedly, Trunks felt he was completely out of his element in this ruse he was trying to pull. But, he has committed and he will see to it that Pan, Bulma, and anyone else that is doubting it will see the so-called "truth". "Please, mom, I wasn't actually ready to tell anyone yet," Trunks explained, his hand sheepishly rubbing behind his head. "Bulla was actually the one who found me out…" He let out a forced chuckle, looking to his sister for support.

"That is true–" Bulla responded, her eyes brimming with life as she said it. "Trunks declared his love for her, in such an unexpected way," she continued, "you honestly wouldn't believe it, on his knees!"

"Is this true?" Bulma eyed the hybrid curiously. It seemed too convenient to Bulma that this all coincided between his arrival and her declaration of blind dates. "You expect me to believe that, Trunks?" Bulma stated, tilting her head slightly. Her son has never ever been the type to suddenly settle, she recalls distinctly his childhood crushes being intense, primarily towards that young Mai girl…

Bulma grimaced at the memory of the heartbreak she witnessed on his face. She would believe that he'd fall in love, but not with Marron. Then again…Bulma recalled their feisty arguments and bickering even in their youth. It was eerily similar to a dynamic she knew all too well…however, something was off. "Fine but once you feel comfortable enough to announce it to your father…" Bulma began, taking a sip of her coffee, "you're bringing her over with Krillin and 18."

Trunks swallowed hard, his face frozen in an awkward unnatural smile. "Okay!" He squeaked out. Things were moving a bit too fast for the hybrid's liking, but he couldn't show a sign of weakness now.

"Oh, Trunks," Goten popped his head back into the living room, a cheeky grin on his face. Trunks stared at his best friend, dread struck across his face, that cheeky grin could mean anything…and he hoped it wasn't what he was thinking. "Sorry, I was on the phone with Valese," he chuckled as he placed a firm hand on the hybrid's shoulder. "Let's go on a double date," Goten stated, "Valese was ecstatic to know that you two were dating, and really, really wants to get close to Mar."

Really, really? What's that supposed to mean? Trunks froze, staring at Goten his mouth slightly agape. He needed to find a way to get out of this and simultaneously not piss the ever-living shit out of Marron. She was irate as it was with the predicament she was in, this is just rubbing salt in the wound. "Sure, but I'll have to Marron first," Trunks replied, pushing a smile through the frustration, "she may have work or something."

NIce save Trunks, he thought to himself.

"I think that would be a great idea," Pan chimed in, now standing next to her uncle, "that way we can see it for ourselves." Pan wasn't entirely convinced that Trunks was telling the truth, and by the looks of the beaded sweat on his forehead…it was seeming like that was likely the case.

"Alright, then set the date and let me know," Goten smiled brilliantly, patting his best friend a little too hard on the shoulder for the hybrid's liking. "I wanna know all about how my childhood besties got together."

"Bleh–" Pan stuck her tongue out at the cheesiness in Goten's delivery, "save it, don't say that ever again."

Bulla was seething, however, she managed to remain composed in front of her family and friends, she could feel like she could explode. She gripped her arm a little tighter, a double date with Valese and Goten…something about it didn't sit right in the heiress' soul. Trunks and Marron were made for each other, but neither of the Son family seemed to think so. Bulla wasn't just saying this because she may or may not want Goten all for herself, but because Trunks had finally met his match with Marron.

Admittedly, they were both rather suspicious in their behaviors, but something deep within her soul nagged at her. They were made for each other and if no one could see that, she'll simply have to prove it herself.

AN: Behold! Another update by yours truly. Hope you enjoyed this update ! Let me know your thoughts in a review :p