Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ The Story Of You And Me ❯ Part Four ( Chapter 7 )

"DAMNIT TRUNKS!"

Once again, I can't even find a single pair of jeans in our closet that don't need serious washing. Wearing clothes more than once is understandable. Even twice - we are guys after all. But two months without doing laundry is starting to offend even me! Dende knows he'd rather buy new clothes then wash the ones he already has.

I think I'm catching on that Trunks isn't exactly the most normal person to live with.

Don't get me wrong - we get along better than we ever have. We have the same taste in food, style, the chicks we've dated. Hell, we even share clothes, right down to the underwear. But as it turns out, all the years living with a twenty-four hour cook and maid have made my best friend spoiled rotten beyond all recognition, at least as far as I'm concerned. I am teaching him. Slowly. But I'm sure he'd probably be living under a heap of dirty clothes and dishes by now if I weren't here to pick up after him all the time. I suppose that's my trade off for not ever having to work, but you would think after over six years of living with him I'd be used to this shit by now.

Trunks has been gone since seven-fifteen this morning, up even earlier than that. He probably won't come home until after ten. I know that he hates every second working at Capsule Corporation, being the youngest Vice President in it's history, but it isn't exactly his choice to have to be ready to take over the company within the next year. I know he'd rather sleep in late with me, waking up at noon, staying up until three a.m. Training and meditating, or spending the entire day in our pajamas and eating cereal out of the box. But I guess being the all-powerful businessman comes with a price. If it isn't the constant meetings or mountains of weekend paperwork that's perpetually piled on his desk, it's Bulma breathing down his neck so that he doesn't purposely run the company into the ground. Or having to pretend to be someone he isn't because Trunks Briefs the man has to be a lot different than Trunks Briefs the guy. I should know.

It's about now that I stop complaining about picking up his shit and just be thankful about not having to ever wear a tie.

After making something quick and random in the kitchen to eat for an absurdly late breakfast, I finish cleaning up the apartment and jump in the shower. I plan on meeting Trunks at work today after his morning meeting so we can go out to lunch, since by the time it's over he'll probably be ready to jump out the window. It's supposed to be over at one o'clock, but nothing is ever definite at that place. I just hope he doesn't have to stay late again.

I get lonely here without him.

"I have a one o'clock with Mr. Briefs," I smoothly tell his secretary, who looks swamped with phone calls and office nonsense that I don't even want to begin to understand. I can't believe I, of all people, have to make an appointment to see Trunks for lunch. Sometimes I feel like such a client when I'm here.

"Oh, I'm sorry. He's going to be tied up in his meeting indefinitely for the rest of the day. But I can take a message if you'd like, unless you'd rather reschedule..." The typical response I get when I try to see him. I know there's nothing she can do, despite the apologetic look on her face - we've had this conversation before, so it isn't like this is anything new.

I let out a deep breath and try not to look so dejected, even though I am - it's clear in my voice. "That's all right, I guess. Just.... tell him I stopped by, would you?" She nods with a weak smile. Even his secretary knows that this company is burning him out.

Dragging my feet back through the fleet of cubicles and office interns running around like chickens with their heads cut off, I realize that I'm slowly starting to hate this place for everything that it stands for. Mostly for what it's trying to turn Trunks into. I'm so buried in my thoughts and scowling at the white-collar world around me, I don't even look up to see whom I run into.

"Wh- Goten! Well, isn't this a nice surprise," she chirps, forgetting about whatever it was that she was doing to welcome me like I was her own son. Bulma's always been like a second mother to me, especially since I think I've spent more of my childhood at her house than my own. But the corporate, power-suit wearing woman standing before me is a far cry from the one who has screamed at me and Trunks in her nightgown for breaking the Gravity Simulator on so many occasions. He face drops sympathetically, probably to mirror my own disappointment. "Oh Honey, he's stuck in meeting with the new stock holders, but if you want, I'll tell him you stopped by."

My world is an answering machine message.

"Thanks, but I already checked in. We were just going to meet for lunch, but I..." She runs right over my response, like the bull-headed businesswoman she is.

"Goten, you should say hello to our newest intern here at Capsule Corporation," she says like an advertisement while pointing to the blonde head of hair poking over of the top of her tiny three-sided office. Two big blue eyes look at me like a deer in the headlights, and I don't have to blink twice to know whom they belong to.

"Marron?! Is that you?" I say with honest surprise at seeing her, of all people. I immediately step around the wall to pick her up off her chair and hug her like old times. "What are you doing here?"

"I..."

Enter Bulma's big mouth.

"Marron's our latest addition to the Capsule Corporation family, Goten. This is her first day and I'm just showing her the ropes around here," she casually boasts proudly, like I give a damn about this place. "She's going to be staying with us at the house until she can find an apartment of her own here in the City so she doesn't have to commute in from the island."

I finally set her down and put my hands on her shoulders, amazed at how much she's changed from the last time I've seen her. "You know... it's just so great to see you again. How are your folks? Been puttin' up with Roshi okay?" I tease, making her blush at my interest.

"Let's just say it was more than enough reason for me to move out," she laughs at my comment as she flops back in her chair, straightening the stack of papers I accidentally scattered all over her desk. "But," she adds. "Bulma was nice enough to help me get my foot in the door at the company, and so... here I am!" She sounds the same as when I last remember her, and her bright smile has barely changed, apart from the fact that she isn't quite the little girl anymore.

My current open afternoon availability suddenly dawns on me. "Well, I tell you what - why don't we catch up over some lunch? When do you get your break?"

Bulma is right there with us. "Yes! That sounds like a great idea! Marron, why don't you go ahead and take your lunch now, and the two of you have a wonderful afternoon. Take as much time as you'd like! And hey - Goten could probably help you get to know the city better while your at it, hmmmm?" she beams, obviously up to something by the tone of her question.

"...But Bulma, I have these files to work on that you gave me, and..." she explains to her, motioning to the considerable stack of folders piled on her desk.

Bulma quickly reaches down over the wall and snatches up the files, never once breaking eye contact with me. "What files?" She asks with a wink to Marron. What the fuck...?

"Uh, well... thanks... Bulma!" Marron squeaks out as Bulma departs in a hurry with nothing more than an evil Briefs smile shot back over her shoulder in our direction. I try not to think too much about what she's always plotting - makes my head hurt.

Turning to Marron, who looks somewhat speechless and confused about pretty much being given the rest of the afternoon off on her first day on the job, I smile at her as I grab her hand. "C'mon! My treat," I offer playfully, although she's still stuck in stun mode at her first experience in office management from the owner of the company.

"What... was that all about? W-...?"

I grab a little wrapped piece of candy out of the jar on Marron's desk and pop it in my mouth, watching Bulma command down the hall, all proud of herself for her newest little match making efforts. Sucking the candy, I explain in the simplest terms what I have now figured out. "Probably so I stay away from her son more often," I say flatly, turning my attention back to Marron, now more confused than earlier. Judging from her expression, this will obviously need an explanation over lunch. "Forget about it - let's get going."

The top button on my shirt is undone. My tie is loosened. Glasses off. The brain is fried.

It's time to go the fuck home, chill out with Goten, and forget this day ever happened. While I'm at it, I'm going to go ahead and forget this entire week ever happened! I'm so sick of being here and I really don't want to do this anymore. When was the last time I picked up my sword to train, or spent the morning in pajamas joking around with Goten while we ordered in take-out from our favorite restaurant? Or even felt like myself for a change? This isn't who I am.

I gather up the sales reports and whatever other crap has been thrown on my desk for me to slog through, and shove it all into my briefcase, throwing my wire-framed glasses on top of the pile before snapping it shut. Without wasting another second, I exit my office the way I've been told a million times not to and slide open one of the windows behind my desk. But before I can even get one foot on the sill I hear the voice of my secretary on my intercom, automatically forbidding me to take the leap home.

"Mr. Briefs, the investors are here to see you about those budget changes. And your mother wants you to look the proposals with them before you leave. Can I let them in to see you?"

I'm twenty-five years old, and I'm working a life sentence at my own company.

The waitress pours me a refill for my cup of black coffee, bringing Marron the sugary little cappuccino concoction she ordered. After an incredible afternoon of catching up with her and showing her all over town to Trunks and my favorite places - the waterfront, the city central park, the obscure indie shopping district - we finally found our way here to one of the many genuinely decent coffee shops I've been finding myself at so much lately. The same one I always seem to be waiting in for Trunks to get out of work. The one right across the street from Capsule Corporation.

"So, how are your parents about everything? You know - about living with Trunks out here?" she asks, smashing her fork into the last crumbs of what's left of the slice of her chocolate cake. "Obviously Bulma's got her own opinions." The girl is sharp.

I blow on my coffee a little before taking a small sip. "My dad doesn't care, but I think my mom would rather me stay at home until I get married or something. Like Gohan," I automatically respond, taking a drink as I explain how my friendship with Trunks isn't always taken the right way. I think I'm starting to sound bitter. "She doesn't understand why we're living together. But... I don't know, I guess I'm just a little tired of always trying to explain us to everyone. We really are just friends, Marron." Here I go on the defense again, although I don't mean to.

"But, doesn't it bother you guys that people, you know... are always thinking the wrong thing about you two?"

I take a deep breath and release the tension building up in my shoulders. "Not anymore. It used to really bother Trunks there for a while, but we're just so used to tuning that kind of bullshit out now..." I trail off, leaving the unsaid exactly that since the impatience in my voice must surely tell her I want to change the subject. I uncomfortably shift my position in my seat, leaning in slightly on my chair and placing my cup down on the table. "Enough of my end - what's going on with you? How are your parents about finally getting off that rock?" She returns my smile weakly as she finally sets her fork on her plate.

"Oh, I think that's a whole other can of worms to get into - with my mom on my back about marrying rich. My dad all about me getting some life experiences..." she rolls her eyes. "... Master Roshi and Oolong every place I go and leaving their porn everywhere... Goten, if Bulma hadn't offered this job to me, I think I probably would've swam away." I've been to the Kame House enough times to know she's telling me more truth than sarcasm here. "You guys are lucky - you both know where you're going with your lives and are out there doing something."

"Hey, that may be true for Trunks, but look at me - I sleep until lunch, I don't have a job, I never pay bills. I don't think I'm exactly the poster boy for Responsibility here either. And it's not like Trunks even remotely enjoys what he's doing - he hates it," I remind her, propping my elbow on the table to lean in closer, giving her opposite hand a light squeeze. "You're not the only one who feels lost, Marron. We all sometimes feel like we're stuck in situations that can't go anywhere."

The eyes looking back at me tell me it's been a long time since she's talked to someone who's been on the same wavelength. "Thanks."

Despite Marron's absence for the latter part of my life, we've still managed to catch up on everything in just a matter of hours. As we talk, I am reminded of how fortunate Trunks and I have been to have each other. I can't imagine what it must have been like to live so far away from people my own age - someone that can relate to you on your own level. I've always had Trunks, but Marron hasn't had anyone. The last time I remember even being around was back when I lived at home and Krillen would bring her with him to the mainland to visit.

That was years ago though, and honestly with everything that has gone on, I forgot about her living on that island in isolation all this time. Trunks and I were her only friends growing up, considering she was home schooled. But now that she's joined the world at large and I'm seeing what isolation has done to her confidence over the years, I can see just how much it means to her to be able to look at a familiar face for a change, no matter how far we've grown apart before today. I think I'm also starting to see how lonely she really is.

"You know, Marron, why don't you stay with me and Trunks until you get a place of your own? It's got to be driving you insane living there with Bulma and Vegeta, and playing big sister to Bra all the time. We've gotta get you out of there."

"Oh, I couldn't..." Her eyes wander down to her lap, perhaps embarrassed by my forwardness.

"Really! Our place is more than big enough. The loft bed can be all yours." My Son charm is slowly winning her over. "And I know Trunks will totally agree with me on this one. Why do you think he moved out in the first place." I finally get her to crack a smile. "Please, stay with us and save yourself from hell."

Marron looks back up to me with a shy smile, and silently tells me that she accepts the offer.

Now I'm finding myself more and more excited that I'm going to get the chance to spend time with her on a regular basis. Especially since we're really hitting it off like this. I want her to feel comfortable around me, but it's hard not to make it seem like I'm coming on too strong and being a hopelessly pathetic flirt in front of her. This is the last thing she needs at this point. I'm sure that city life, corporate life, and even adult life in general is probably freaking her out right now, so I have to force myself to ignore the fact that she's gotten really, really hot.

Shit.