Raindrops

7: Handle With Care

Marron watched the scene unfold in dismay, she wished she stood up and yelled at the two of them. Perhaps then this confrontation would have been avoided...and they'd all be back in the bar together. Her eyes stuck onto Trunks, who held his jaw clenched tightly, a vein in his forehead threatening to pulse out. There was a silence between them after Goten exited, Trunks not even looking over in the blonde's direction. She wasn't sure whether it was from the embarrassing scene, the mess she was in or out of his sheer sadness at having damaged his friendship with Goten over simple words.

Words, words, words. What weight could a word hold, if not an entire universe? You could get pummeled to near death, yet words hurt far more. Why do we use such instruments to purposely hurt the people we hold dear? Trunks head hung low as he took slow, shallow breaths. She's never seen him like this before, in such a vulnerable state. He blocked off the universe, tunnel-visioning to the drink he didn't finish. The sad way the hybrid carried himself made Marron's maternal heart ache, but for just a moment. It seemed to her that a simple embrace could melt away what just occurred, and how much she wishes she could embrace them both, attempt reconciliation...but all she could do was feel the soft hot tears cascading down her cheek. Quietly watching as the fight erupted.

The small blonde slid off her chair, her heels clicking against the floor as she passively traced her hands against Trunks' back before she too headed out the door. But she didn't make it very far before Trunks caught up to her, like a child afraid of losing its mother. His hand gripping the nylon long-sleeve tightly, wordlessly. Between the silence, Marron understood what the hybrid was asking for. She walked with him, for what seemed like an eternity, down the cement pavement and down the corners and turns she has learned like the back of her hand. They walked in a silence that hung over them like a rain cloud, the air felt humid in that same way.

As they reached the skyscraper they lived in, Trunks' enigmatic pools of dark blue met with Marron's lighter ones. Her chest tightened and she could feel the sadness tug at her heart and before she could part her pink, pouty lips she felt her breath get caught at the base of her throat as Trunks, very uncharacteristically, threw his arms around the blonde. She struggled to comprehend just why this was happening, to her of all people but she could feel her tiny frame being absorbed into his muscular arms. For a moment, she too could feel the weight past arguments and pent-up emotions. She wearily raised her hands, afraid as though moving would disrupt the peace and patted him softly in the back.

Trunks, let her go just as quickly as he embraced her. "I'm-" Trunks choked on his words as he watched Marron's kind eyes blink softly, the thick tufts of black gently kissing the apples of her cheeks. "I'm sorry, I didn't-"

He was an idiot, what was he thinking?

"It's fine, Trunks," Marron finally managed out, her throat stinging at every word she croaked out. It took him long to finally noticed the wet lashes and flushed face to realize Marron was there, crying and neither of them bothered to stop. "You needed a hug, I don't mind...really," Marron continued her cheeks hot.

Sweet, quiet and reserved Marron, Trunks thought as he watched her back into herself again. Almost shutting off any emotions, afraid they'd spill forth and overwhelm her. It reminded him of himself when he was a child and held back signs of weakness in attempts to impress his father, who undoubtedly would make a mockery of such a situation.

Trunks looked off to the side. "There's a point where you cross the line, I'm sure I crossed that tonight."

Marron stepped closer, her eyes still wide and curious as they hyper-analyzed the hybrid. "You know Trunks," Marron began, "we are friends...you hugged me I don't see why you're taking it that way."