When Spring Came
Chapter 16: Like Real People
Song Of The Chapter: The Nearness of You by Laufey
AN: So fun fact, I had this chapter done MONTHS ago. It got a few changes here and there but I basically kept it pretty much 100% in tact. This chapter is a lot lighter and happier than the last I think, and a good little break from all the high strung emotions our cast has been feeling as of late lol
I hope y'all enjoy !
Marron swore she had the worst luck lately. To make matters worse–her feelings for Goten felt more and more like they wavered despite his words. But there was a small sliver of hope left within her…even if the prospect itself made Marron feel queasy. She thought of the words Goten told her, about how alive she felt around Trunks—Goten made it seem he loved the Marron she'd become.
It made her think…that despite the ludicrous nature of Trunks' plan, there may still be hope yet for her…even if it seems Trunks disagreed with the notion altogether now.
"You can't accept that he doesn't love you!"
The words stuck onto her like glue. Why then? Why was Trunks proceeding along with the plan, and why would he hold her and tell her that it would be Goten at the end of the line? It was as if he did not believe in the plan…and was simply stringing her along for his own benefit. Though Marron failed to garner just what made any of this beneficial.
Suddenly, there was a knock on her door. Marron jumped, startled from the loud noise. The blonde whipped her head around to the clock on the wall, her wet hair slashing against her bare skin. Who came to someone's house at 11 PM unannounced?
"Marron.." A male voice gently called her name, and the sound of his voice made Marron's icy facade melt away. "Can we talk?"
Ah, that's who…Trunks.
Marron laid her back against the wooden door, trying to steady her racing heart. Her hands rubbed the top of her chest as she exhaled deeply. Why now ? She looked at her reflection on the entryway mirror. She was still in her robe and slippers and wet hair – this was no condition to even greet him normally . She hesitated, in truth it's only been a couple of days since she last spoke with him…the high strung emotions were still present.
And to make matters worse, her evening with Valese only left Marron with more questions than answers. Strangely enough, she took no joy from seeing the girlfriend of her crush hurt and crying over him. It made her feel queasy, in truth. And a certain person she'd been trying to avoid for the aforementioned muddled emotions she'd been feeling decided to pay her a visit.
Marron had been avoiding leaving her apartment aside from work as everything and anything in West City reminded her of Trunks. His visage was plastered on every billboard in the city, every newsreel and every magazine stand worth its salt. "I-I'm not…dressed…"
Trunks' face flushed violently at the image those words conjured in his head. "Well… after you get dressed…obviously…"
Marron bit her lip as she stared out the window, then back towards the door where Trunks stood. "Fine, but make it quick…I don't want you to be here all night," Marron huffed, "five minutes."
And exactly five minutes passed by, Trunks waited with bated breath as he could hear her through the door. The floral scent of her perfume was mapped into his olfactory senses, and the stronger it got the more excited the hybrid became. Marron exited her bedroom dressed in a set of pink satin pajamas, her hair still wet, but drying slowly. As she swung the door open, Trunks' dark sapphire eyes were the first thing she saw.
Trunks held his breath, he didn't know what to expect when she opened the door. But certainly not a freshly showered and ready to go to bed Marron innocently looking at looked as the layers around her face dried into curls and ringlets that framed her soft face. He could kick himself, did he come here to just gawk at her? What was his plan exactly? He sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, feeling as a chuckle began to rise from his throat.
"Hey," he couldn't help himself from smiling softly at her.
"Hey…" Marron replied just as softly. She wasn't sure where she sat, settling somewhere between hate and an emotion she refused to acknowledge. But Trunks, he drank her in, amusement in his eyes at her informal appearance. Granted, it wasn't often you'd find him in anything but a suit. Blue jeans and a black sweater was simple and covert enough for the CEO.
She opened the door for him, letting him into her apartment. As he walked inside, Trunks took a good look at the apartment, his hands stuffed into his pockets. "I haven't been in here since–"
"The double date," Marron muttered as she tucked a curly strand of hair behind her ear. "Do you want a drink?" She said as she grabbed two wine glasses from the bar cart.
"Now you know you shouldn't be having any of that," Trunks broke into a small smile, he attempted to gauge where Marron stood with him…given their last interaction. But in turn he managed to cause the blonde to look down and hide a smile. Somehow Trunks Briefs had some kind of effect on him that made her react in a way she usually wouldn't. Shouldn't she be mad at him right now?
He watched her, noticing her cautiousness. "Why not – pour me a glass," Trunks finally answered.
He made himself comfortable on the same couch he crashed on the last time they were together in this apartment, casting a glance over his shoulder as he watched Marron pour him a glass and one for herself. She held both glasses of wine by the neck of the glass and handed Trunks the red liquid.
"You know I told you to stay the hell out of my life, right?" Marron mused as she tilted the glass of wine in her hand before taking a small sip.
So what happened to all of the pent up anger she seemed to have a few days ago? Was the fire of her rage put out? "Yet here I am, still here ," Trunks replied as he took a small sniff of the wine. She seemed in lighter spirits than she did a few days ago. She was smiling, and though there were still traces of sadness behind her eyes, it seemed to be a fleeting emotion.
"What's with that?" Marron chuckled her eyes watching Trunks relax just a bit. "You don't know how to take no for an answer?" Marron asked jokingly, watching as Trunks's eyes observed her carefully.
Marron wondered just what he was looking for? And…she wondered about herself why she was just willingly acting as if nothing happened. His hand instinctively reached out to the ends of her hair, playing with the dried golden ringlets of hair. "I never noticed your hair…" he muttered out, watching from the corner of his eyes how the tips of her ears turned into a shade of red. "It's wavy?"
"You never noticed because I always blow dry it," Marron pointed out. "This is how it is naturally."
Trunks raised his eyebrows, he wasn't sure why he was so surprised by that revelation. Somehow, Marron always seemed to find new ways to become more and more endearing to him. Even now, with wet hair and lounge wear. "It looks cute," he said with a trace of amusement.
The heat flashed through her for a second. "Oh…" Marron chuckled nervously, smoothing out her hair. "You didn't come all this way just to tell me you like my hair though, right?"
Trunks sat up quickly, he seemed to have forgotten himself for a second and the sudden movement surprised Marron. "No…I didn't," Trunks sighed. He didn't really know what to expect…he didn't think he would make it this far with her. But as he stared into her eyes, Trunks remembered the main motivator for his arrival…a selfish motivator but motivation nonetheless.
He wanted to see her. He didn't want to be apart for so long . And, he was selfish in what he wanted. "I'm sorry–I shouldn't have gotten carried away," Trunks began, "I kissed you when you didn't want—"
"Who said I didn't want to?" Marron bit her lip at the words that spilled out her mouth. She was feeling far bolder than usual. She paused, looking at Trunks' slack-jawed expression. "Well…don't look at me like that," Marron blushed as she turned her face, "I…didn't hate it ."
Trunks was at a loss for words. Did she really just say that? Never mind the fact she just admitted something like that with him so openly – he would take the chance to barrel through her lowered defenses. "Was it good?" Trunks could almost smack himself, why was that the first thing he asked?!
Marron took another sip of her wine, feeling as her cheeks heated up. "I-I think so?" She said as she tried to cover her face with one hand. "Kami, this is so embarrassing…" Marron moaned out. A small grin began to crack through Trunks' lips…he'd keep that information in his back pocket.
"L-Look…I also want to apologize for my harsh words," Marron sighed out, as she leaned her head against the cushion, casting a glance over to Trunks. "I think you kissing me freaked me out… I didn't want to oust you from my life completely..."
"I know…you can't stay away too long," Trunks smirked, watching her expression shift. There was a secret glance his way, a cheeky grin on the corner of her plump lips.
Marron shifted her body, nervously chuckling as she continued to sip her drink. What was with her all of the sudden? She was antsy in his presence for some reason…but she only had a few sips? "A-Anyway—" she coughed, trying to divert attention from her own thoughts. "I think we shouldn't end things."
There was a sense of relief that washed over him. "O h …a change of heart?" Trunks asked with a chuckle, bemused at her directness she'd taken over.
Marron's eyes flicked between him and the glass of wine, the apples of her cheeks pinker than usual. "Well I never said it was over but...yeah."
This was so dangerous. She was beckoning the devil to dance with her, and he was obliging enthusiastically. If Trunks was the key to getting Goten then she was willing to make a deal with the devil.
"So?" Trunks tilted his cup at Marron. "You do understand…we both know what we know now…" He was referring to the fact that he had explicitly told Marron that he was curious about her, that he found her to be absolutely exquisite, even here, in her lounge wear.
"I do," Marron responded softly.
"Are you willing to take that risk?" Trunks pressed as he leaned closer to her, his eyes scanning her face, her eyes…her lips. Kami her lips…
"Yes," Marron whispered out.
She stood at a precipice, where she could fall in either direction. Marron wasn't sure which option boded well for her, but what she did know was that Trunks…was the one who was cutting through the strings, he was the one who was allowing her to be her authentic self. And if that meant Goten was starting to see her that way, then…she'd do it.
"Don't fall for me," Trunks said softly. He was so close to her now, the alcohol in his breath mixed with the scent of his cologne mix amalgamated into a scent she could only describe with the word alluring.
"The same goes to you," she replied back, a glint of challenge in her blue eyes.
"So what now," he stated, placing the glass of wine on the coffee table.
"Well, we need to desensitize ourselves to each other," Marron replied.
There was an unspoken understanding of what those words meant to him. He shook his head, knowing full well what giving into her siren call would entail. "You shouldn't be saying anything like that, Mar," Trunks chided as he took the wine glass out of her hand. Marron was about to protest but watched as he took a sip out of her drink.
"What the hell, Trunks?" Marron pouted trying to grab the glass of wine back.
"It's sweeter coming from you," he smirked.
Was he…flirting with her? Trunks would sometimes say something that would cause her to raise some eyebrows but…to this extreme? He wasn't even trying to hide it! And Marron was eating every last bit of it up, she knows!
"Well," Trunks chuckled as he took a swig of her glass of wine and handed the glass over to her, "now that I have some liquid courage…are you sure you want to do that?" He said, watching her eyes for any sign of reservation.
The question was loaded, but to her if she was the one in control…then perhaps the sensation won't be the same. "Yes," She replied, "just a little–"
He was not convinced, his furrowed brow now arched interrogatively. Marron had given no reason for him to believe that she had changed her mind…that she would be okay. "Are you sure?"
"Are you?" Marron pressed. This was a tall ask from her, especially after the explosive outburst she had the last time. But Marron kept her cool—convinced that if she called the shots, then her emotions were not to be affected in the same way.
There was a pause. He wasn't sure what the answer to that should be? Yes, he was sure he'd be fine at the prospect of kissing her. He wanted to feel that sensation of her lips on his, but wasn't this wrong? They allegedly weren't interested in one another in that sense.
Marron sighed, dropping her hand from him as she shook her head. "You don't have to," she reassured, hating the idea that she was forcing his hand here. "We don't have to make this a big deal."
Trunks nodded softly, trying to talk himself up to actually going through with the act. "You're right," there was restraint present in his voice. "This doesn't have to be a big deal."
"Exactly."
" Exactly ."
"Actors do it all the time," Marron pointed out, "and we don't even need to put so many labels on it."
It suddenly became quiet between them, a thick silence hanging between the space of their lips. Trunks observed her carefully, her wild blonde hair now fully dried and framing her face much like a small lioness. He blew a soft puff of air out of his nose, a lazy grin on his lips. "You don't need to force it…"
Marron watched Trunks carefully, kicking herself for even getting herself in this situation in the first place. The lighting of her apartment made it seem much more intimate than it should have been. His tan skin glowed under the warm accent lights of her apartment and the glow of the candle that flicked wildly in his eyes. "No strings attached–it's practice."
"Marron," Trunks began, shaking his head, "you don't need to convince yourself."
Marron breathed in deeply, crossing her legs on the couch as she tilted her head to the side. "I know that," she bit her lip feeling as her face burned red from the embarrassment she felt. "I just…I think, if we are going to continue with this ruse…this is the next logical step…"
"Marron," Trunks breathed, his hand tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "I won't until you're ready." His words betrayed his thoughts. There was a primal urge that he struggled to hold back. He wanted to capture her lips as his. He wanted to ravish those lips and take her breath away.
For Trunks' size and demeanor, his hands were gentle as he pulled her close. Her body gently pressed against his and the air between them became thinner. Marron swore she could hardly breathe, but the gentleness of his thumb grazing against her bottom lip made her quiver with anticipation. He bewitched her to her very core.
But Marron was not his to conquer. Despite how sensually her fingers traced along his jaw and the thick air of attraction that hung between the slim space between them, she and him were never supposed to work. They were never meant to get this far.
"Trunks?" Her voice was soft and slightly dazed. The sound of his name in her voice rang sweetly in his ears. It was as if Trunks' very presence was able to rewire her thoughts at any given moment. In a moment she was nervous , her guilt eating at her conscience thinking about Goten… the next moment, her mental fortitude was whittled away in Trunks' arms. Was he always this comfortable to be around and did it always feel so right?
Marron nearly forgot herself, being in his arms and staring into his eyes. She caught herself again, as she forced the image of Goten in her head, desperately trying to get a sense of normalcy. But it was no use, as lavender overtook every fiber of her being. She placed a kiss on his cheek, "why don't we start there?" She whispered back.
Trunks' expression was that of a soft surprise, heat spread across the apples of his cheeks. "Okay," He replied gently. He was feeling ravenous, hardly capable of holding back his desire as he tipped her chin up. "What about this?" He asked as he pressed his lips against her other cheek, looking playfully back into her eyes.
Trunks felt as Marron inched closer, her nose gently grazing against his. "Now…are you able to pull away this time?" She asked as her hands raked into the back of his silky lavender hair. What's gotten into her?
Trunks wondered: was that a challenge? She watched his half-lidded eyes hungrily look down at her; that gaze was doing something to senses, making her heart race with slight unease in her chest.
There was a moment between them, where the anticipation was painfully unbearable. He watched as the flicker of the flame danced in Marron's playful expression, feeling as his chest swelled as the scent of strawberries and her attraction assaulted his senses. His hungry eyes searched for the green light as he took her wild mane and pulled her lips to his.
Marron felt a sudden rush of heat across her body. He had more than just her lips, he captured her mind, invaded her senses…sending battalions to conquer the inner mechanisms of her mind. Not daring to tear from the object of his affection, he held her closer, held her tighter—guiding the petite woman against the couch.
They have trespassed into dangerous territory once more, and this time Marron failed to fight her mind and heart. She was melting under his touch, and his touch was deliciously sweet. Was this the Trunks behind the facade? A soft whimper emitted from Marron, her soul begging to explore more.
If a kiss could get her like this, what about the rest of him? For the first time ever she wanted to know. And the prospect of her arousal at his actions made her panic, why did she want to know? She pulled apart, her eyes half-lidded with ragged and slow breathing. Her lips slightly swollen and pillowy from the intense kiss.
"I—" her cheeks were bright red as she scanned his face. Trunks' breath matched hers, his lavender hair disheveled, and there was a cloud of his cologne wrapping around Marron.
He was in a trance, glancing down to the nymphet that beckoned him, her sweet voice gently pulling him back in. "Again…"
Why?!
Trunks' lips traveled up her collarbone to her neck as he planted soft kisses until his lips met the tips of her blushed ears. Under his touch, Marron's body flushed in feverish heat…why would she ask for more? Why did he oblige?
Trunks paused. As much as he wanted to…he needed to compose himself. There was a stiff, and rather warm feeling around his pelvis. There was the concern that things can and will get out of hand. "Kami, what are we doing…" Trunks said softly, trying to shake the lustful thoughts out of his mind.
Marron placed a hand to her face, trying to cool her face down from the intense heat that overtook her. "I-I don't—" she panicked, holding the hybrid at arm's length, "let's… not actually."
Trunks nodded, it seemed Marron also agreed; that was dangerous. Just what could have happened if they didn't stop? Would they have tried to go further? "I'm—sorry, I haven't… done something like that in a while—"
"N-No, that's… um… fine…" Marron responded, her fingers still grazing her lips. "I haven't done… much in a while…"
"Was I…good?" Trunks asked as he sat back up, curiosity in his blue eyes.
Marron's face blanched as reality came crashing back to her, looking at the man who so innocently asked her such a thing. "I-I mean," Marron let out a breathy laugh of disbelief, "was I?"
"Yes!" He said without hesitation, and quickly wanted to shove his foot in his mouth. He was so eager to tell her, so shocked to find that on top of being so infuriatingly attractive to him, she left him hot and bothered from a simple kiss. He felt like a teenager.
Marron's face was beet red, she wanted to hide away. This was the most embarrassed she's felt in a while, and Trunks the so-called suave "flirt" was a complete mess. "It was good," Marron bit her lip as she tried to hide her face from him, "you kiss well…"
Trunks was able to breathe a bit easier at her response. But how would they go back? How could they go back? He looked at Marron like she was the last drink in a desert. His body wanted her.
"Well–um," Marron huffed as she looked down, her cheeks burning. "It looks like you stayed longer than expected," she chuckled looking over to the clock on the wall. It was already 12:30 AM. "Do you…want something to eat, I had finished making something before you got here."
Trunks' eyes lit up. Food was his second love–and he was curious to know what Marron's cooking looked and tasted like. "You didn't poison it did you?" Trunks snickered as he watched the blonde stand up, trying to tame her blonde curls.
"I make no promises, Briefs," she said, rolling her eyes as she walked over towards her kitchen.
"M'kay, sure–" Trunks shifted a bit, as his eyes scanned the room in more detail. This was the first time he was really left here with nothing to do but to observe. Marron's apartment was pristine, and oozing with femininity. Pink and white roses, and vases full of eucalyptus filled the room, she still found a way for her personality to shine through.
She came back, two plates of what seemed to be pasta ready to be served. "I know it's not much to quell your appetite, but I thought I'd offer," she smiled before sitting down. "So–how have things been for you…at work I mean?" She said stabbing her fork into the food
"Oh…um," Trunks hummed, glancing down to the small portion. Definitely not enough for a Saiyan but somehow…he didn't feel his usual rapacious hunger. "Things have been going good actually."
Marron actually knew that–however for the sake of the awkwardness that had ensued it be best to fill the air with anything that wasn't related to the kiss, right? "That's good–I remember before you went to space things weren't–"
"No…they weren't great," Trunks cringed as he took a bite of the food, not really knowing what to expect from the meal or Marron's cooking skill. But as the food met his taste buds he could feel an explosion of flavor dancing on his tongue. He could feel himself increasingly salivating but held his appetite at bay.
"How is it?" Marron tilted her head. "I think I may have used too much–"
"It's perfect," Trunks interrupted, feeling as his stomach growled louder. "Did you…really make this?" His voice was laced with dubiousness. It wasn't that Marron's cooking seemed out of character, but something so delicious to be crafted by a novice's hand was surprising.
Marron scoffed, somewhat offended at the idea that he didn't believe her. "Of course I made it!"
Trunks' eyes widened just a bit, it certainly wasn't his intent to offend her, but it seemed as if he struck a nerve. "Just a little surprised is all," he said as he returned to take a bite out of his food.
"You know," Marron paused, her curious blue eyes meeting with his momentarily. "I always wondered…about your time in space," her hand dared to trace along his muscular forearms. "You have a lot of new scars."
Trunks could feel his body jolt from the touch, he was tempted to snatch his hand away but he restrained himself. "I do–" he coughed out. Her fingers were delving into the valleys between his muscles sending shivers through him.
"What happened?"
"Well…that's a loaded question–" Trunks began as he scratched the side of his cheek. What got into her that she was so curious about him? "The one's you're touching right now…came from these…Ki blocking handcuffs," he could feel his breath hitch as her eyes looked up to him.
He really wasn't trying to be entranced by the delicate feathering of her fingers, but the sensations were just a bit overwhelming. "I got arrested on this planet – I guess they had some kind of law against people like me,"
"Saiyan?" Marron tilted her head.
"No, just able to manipulate ki–"
"How did they even catch you?" She asked, a brow quirked as her hands stayed holding his forearm. "You're always pretty slippery."
Trunks' ears perked up at that final sentence. That was an interesting observation from her. "So you watch?" He was almost purring the words out, though the intent was to tease.
She could feel every hair on her body stand from the tonal shift in his voice. Flustered, Marron dropped his hand and turned her face away from him. "D-Don't flatter yourself, I'm cheering for Goten–"
Trunks leaned a little closer, a painfully cocky smirk laced on his lips. "Aht aht– you got to cheer for me now."
"Whatever– he wouldn't get caught," She replied as she took another bite out of her food. It was a half truth, Marron knew they both were equally as skilled. But he was testing her and she was not about to just give in!
"Aw, well that's just mean, Marron," He pouted. He wasn't entirely convinced she meant what she said but he chose to play into feigning hurt. "It was a stun gun–"
"These were pretty deep lacerations," Marron whispered.
The interruption took Trunks by surprise, seeing as her eyes curiously wandered on the exposed skin on his arm. Her blonde furrowed brows expressed a concern he had never noticed on her face before. Was she..upset?
Trunks hissed as he nodded in response. He hadn't realized the machines were advanced enough to cut into him. "I kind of ripped them off, unfortunately for me though–" Trunks said lifting his shirt to show a deep scar on his oblique, "there's usually an explosion when removing ki blockers," he sheepishly continued before lowering his shirt once more after catching sight of Marron's expression.
Her eyes were wide, her brilliant blue eyes laced with worry as a gentle hand rested against her lips. Though he was unsure if she was flustered from the sight or concerned…regardless, it was adorable.
God he was sick in the head, but he couldn't help it anymore.
Marron finally released a deep sigh, as her arms propped up on the table. "Did you have any friends when out in space?" It was a genuine wonder she had, he could have had an entire life when traveling through space–and to return to Earth and assimilate to an Earthling life again must have been slightly challenging.
The question took Trunks by surprise. In truth, he was much of a loner when traveling…and for the first time in a long time–Trunks had lost his sense of purpose. What does one do when everything they know is turned upside down? That's what happened after his break up with Mai.
"Not really, just Giru–I was really lonely." It was in fact some of the loneliest years he had spent, it wasn't like he could bury himself in his work, or train to the brink of death. He meandered through space, collecting information and occasionally saving the day but ultimately.
He had to live with himself.
Space travel was not truly his choice…but something thrust upon him by his mother and father as a means to re-balance himself. There was no true rhyme or reason, but the pit of depression he suffered was far too grand for anyone to truly understand. So much so, he was temporarily ousted from his position from Capsule Corp.
In reality, Marron was the first fresh sight after coming back from space. He recalled how she was fresh into college attempting to traverse adult life– still dressing very childish and arguably just a bit prudish. But seeing her all those years later, it was like she was a different person, granted…she still held those grudges against him. Marron has never been the kind to forgive and forget.
"No female companions?" Marron asked, a small smirk on her lips. "C'mon, you can tell me if you did it with a freaky alien," she teased in an attempt to lighten the somber mood Trunks was in.
Trunks snorted as he folded his arms over his chest. " Hell no."
"Is that such a shocking question?"
"Do you wanna know what kind of women are out there, they hardly look humanoid," Trunks recalled one almost encounter he had with a female–but foreign aliens with strange genitalia simply weren't his cup of tea…nor did it feel all to great on his end. But he chose to spare the gory details. "Honestly, I prefer a human-looking woman over a lizard any day."
Marron impulsively conjured an image in her head of Trunks and some kind of arachnid creature trying to fornicate and the image made her just a bit queasy. She couldn't blame him for not wanting to test the waters.
"How about you?" Trunks asked, pulling the blonde from her overactive imagination. He was curious, based on what Bulla had told him…Marron isn't as inexperienced as he imagined she'd be. He could tell from the tantalizing kiss alone she had a way of riling people up.
"Hm?" Marron's voice was laced with feigned innocence. "What about me?" She practically squeaked out not wanting to look him in the eye.
"Did you have any male companions?" Trunks replied snarkily, copying her tone from earlier.
"W-What?!" Marron choked out. It was forward, but she deserved it for trying to pry. Of course Marron has had some sex with other men, she wasn't going to wait around for Goten to show her the ropes on sex. Granted, the last few years had gotten just a bit out of hand.
"What does Marron Chestnut have going on in that little head of hers?" Trunks teased, his hands cupping his cheek as he watched her with delight striking through his eyes.
"Honestly?" Marron began, her eyes flicking from Trunks and back over to the near empty bowl of food. "I'm worried."
"About?"
"I'm worried about…Valese and Goten, and about our plan–" Marron grumbled, as she pushed around the final piece of food. "I was at Val's house today and she was not in good shape…I don't know what happened but–"
Trunks sighed, garnering Marron's attention from the exasperated nature of his exhale. "You know how he is, this is just another day in the week for him," Trunks' hand flourished, amplifying the dramatic nature of his words. "Goten and Valese will probably break up…" Though in truth, while he was originally excited at the idea, lately the whole thing has become a nightmare scenario.
Trunks has grown so comfortable being around Marron, that she practically fulfilled the role of a girlfriend for him…without truly having any true emotional exchanges…aside from their kisses. Did Trunks have a moral obligation to disclose that his feelings for her are changing and he has not the slightest idea how to stop the train from leaving the station…yes.
Was he afraid of the implications if he did come forward? Also yes.
"I…don't know if I want them…to…" Marron mumbled, throwing her hands into her face. "I'm just really confused." This response was not in Trunks' mental catalog. Though it was a bit silly to hope she would possibly be implying that she had feelings for him, Trunks watched her next words carefully.
"I…just can't do this to her," Marron groaned as she watched as Trunks got up from his seat, carefully picking up his and her plate of food.
"Why not?" He asked, there was a genuine sincerity in his voice–albeit also relief in his voice. "You are getting exactly what you want!"
Marron nodded, twiddling with her thumbs as she followed Trunks into the kitchen where he promptly placed the dishes in the sink. "I am, I am…but I don't know if I want it this way…" Marron raked a hand through her hair, letting out a deep exhale. "I got too close to Valese…I just feel like a shitty friend if I swoop in now…"
What would she tell her? "Hey Valese, sorry you and 'ten broke up–anyway I fucked your ex boyfriend and he's with me now!" It's certainly not how she wanted to be perceived, she hated herself for even letting herself meet with her so often to get closer to the girl.
Trunks folded his arms leaning his back against the sink to face the blonde, his head slightly tilted. "Well...you don't have to," he began, looking up at her meekly "we can prolong this and let things die naturally between 'em."
"Then what about our deal?" Marron asked, her eyes watching him as he began to walk over to the couch
"We haven't even gotten close to the deadline–but the trajectory is there," Trunks replied curtly, slumping himself back down on her couch watching as Marron followed suit. It is true that the trajectory of their plan has been chugging along perfectly yet it seemed something was off with Trunks any time the topic of the plan even came up.
"Are you okay?" She asked. The question threw Trunks off, the concern laced in her voice was very disconcerting to the hybrid. Marron glanced up at him, her lips pressed into a thin line almost as if to stop herself from speaking. "I-It's just…you just got kinda short with me when I brought up Goten."
Goten…has been a hot button topic for him as of late. He wasn't going to pretend otherwise, the mention of him the last few days have set him off on some uncharacteristic behavior, which Trunks did try his hardest to stifle. "Yeah…I'm fine…" Trunks sighed out, he kept his eyes on the carpet beneath the couch as he tried to think of some excuse to give her. "I just went out with him and dude is just not taking shit well."
"What?" Marron's brows raised in surprise, "What happened?"
"He…well…" Trunks began before looking at Marron once more. Any semblance of his harsh truth was rendered useless, how could he tell her what he was doing? It could ruin her image of him. "He got really drunk and made a scene…"
Marron paused, as her hands were pulled back up to her lap, a small chuckle emitted from her from the reveal. So much for building suspense. "Sounds like I'm not the only lightweight then," she mused as she nudged her shoulder against Trunks.
Trunks blinked with surprise as he turned his head over to the woman beside him, her head resting lightly on his shoulder. "No, I still don't think he would confuse me for someone else…which by the way– I look nothing like Goten!" Trunks replied, a mixture of jest and seriousness in his voice.
"Defensive much!" Marron snickered, a light slap on his arm. "You are nothing like him, no sweat there…you're at least 3 inches shorter."
To Trunks, that was low coming from a short stack like her. Who was she to judge his height when she could barely make the height requirements for a roller coaster. "I'm bigger where it counts," Trunks smirked as he leaned closer to the blonde, his eyes not tearing from hers. He watched with delicious delight as her eyes grew wide from the forwardness of his words.
Marron would never entertain such salacious thoughts, let alone thoughts of him. The thought triggered her senses to burn, and Trunks watched as the heat rose from the small bits of her chest to the very tips of her ears. "I meant my heart, you pervert," Trunks added, licking his teeth as he watched her expression drop to that of annoyance.
"You're such a dick," Marron muttered as she turned her burning face away from him.
Trunks leaned just a bit closer to her, the scent of her hair wafting into his nose from the closeness. "C'mon you know you love me," he whispered in a tease though silently he wished it were the truth.
Marron paused, her eyes not truly wanting to look at him. "Love is a strong word…"
Trunks paused, noticing her apprehension. "Right…it is," he said as he pulled back from her. "I should probably…start heading back home," he awkwardly chuckled in an attempt to fill the silence that suddenly filled the room.
It was already 1:30 AM, and quite frankly – being in a woman's house during these hours never had the purest implications.
"Do you wanna crash here tonight?" Marron asked, now turning her head back over to him.
"What–"
"Yeah, I mean you drank a bit…and it's a bit late, wouldn't it be weird if you came home without your girlfriend in the middle of the night?" Marron looked at him with just the slightest chastity.
"I mean…are you cool with that?" Trunks asked, "I'm not drunk y'know…"
"As your girlfriend, I'm telling you to stay," Marron's voice was demanding now, and somehow she channeled the same icy stare her mother would give him as a child. "You can take the couch though," Marron said as she patted her white couch.
"I guess I don't have a choice," Trunks grinned at her watching as the sleepy blonde leaned her head against his shoulder. "Are you not going to bed now then?"
"Hm?" Marron opened her eyes, trying to fight off the sleep. "Nah, I'm not tired yet–" Marron replied, "just put something on the TV, I'll go soon."
Trunks blinked incredulously at her. Not tired his ass – she was fighting the sleep off to stay awake for even a little longer. Trunks nabbed the fluffy pink blanket from behind the couch, throwing it over the blonde's shoulders, watching as she lulled herself back against him.
He swore he recalled a scene like this before, an adorably sleepy Marron leaning against him with fluttering eyes and shallow breaths. "You're not so bad," he muttered as he watched as the woman surrendered to the sweet song of a restful sleep.
AN: I hope you enjoyed this little nugget of fluff, there is only more fluffy angst from here 3
lmk ur thought below also I had to break this chapter in half because if not it was gonna be WAAAAAAYYYY tooo long (close to 10K words pfft)