Chapter Four: Water Sports
Makoto had quite honestly not expected Picollo to be such a comfort to her as she remember things she loved so dearly. He was so distant that his willingness to show concern for her was stunning. She relished the fact that he cared enough to bring himself out of his shell for her. He was a storng warrior, and he taught her things she had never known before, and things she'd forgotten. As time went on he taught her to live again with the help of Goten and Trunks, who seemed to be around constantly.
Shortly after the meteor shower she found herself at a lake with Goten, Trunks, Gohan and Videl. They were to spend the day by the lake swimming and playing. Makoto found it refreshing to not have to worry about a youma jumping out to spontaneously attack a crowded mall or movie theater. Instead she had spent two weeks on the earth with nothing to worry about. She was happy to lay where she was on her towel in her modest emerald green one-piece, her hair loose and over one shoulder as she lay on her stomach sunning as the boys played in the lake. Videl sat nearby in a blue bathing suit, sunglasses over her eyes and a magazine in her lap.
"Mako?"
"What is it Videl?"
"How do you tell when you're in love, really in love?"
Makoto rose up and rested the wieght of her upper body on her forearms and looked over at Videl. "There are a lot of ways to tell if you're in love. It's sort of hard to describe, but what I can say is that you don't want to go one moment without that certain someone with you. That you'd do anything for them, that being hurt by them is better than not getting any regignition from them at all. That you feel safe and loved when their arms are around you."
"Wow." Videl said, her sunglasses sliding down the end of her nose. "Are you in love Mako?"
"Not that I'm aware of. If your asking if I love, yes I do. But I'm not in love." Makoto replied, watching Videl's face for expression. "I love Goten and Trunks as if they were my own. I love Gohan and you as brother and sister. I love Goku, Chi Chi and the other as friends and Mr. Popo and King Kai as friends as well. I love Dende almost like he were my son, so yes, I love."
"But there isn't a special someone or anything?" Videl asked curiously.
Makoto blushed slightly. "No, not really."
"Wait, you're blushing!" Videl exclaimed. "Who is it?"
"It's not love, I haven't known him long enough to be in love with him, but I do care a lot about him." Makoto replied. "Why all the sudden questions on love?"
It was Videl's turn to go bright red. "Well, I think that I'm in love with Gohan."
"Really?! That's wonderful!" Makoto exclaimed as she sat up and looked out over the lake as Goten and Trunks teamed up on Gohan. "Chi Chi and Goku love you as a daughter and Gohan is definately in love with you."
"Really?"
"Yes, he is." Makoto replied, rising and offering the younger woman a hand. "Come on, let's show these boys what a real water fight is."
Videl grinned and took Makoto's hand, allowing the tall brunette to pull her to her feet. She dropped her sunglasses on her towel and followed Makoto down the shoreline and into the water where Makoto promptly picked up Trunks and threw him into a deeper area of the lake. As he surfaced, sputtering, Videl launched herself at Gohan's back, taking him by surprise and causing him to loose his footing and fall below the lake's surface. Goten was treading water a few feet away, laughing, Makoto turned to him, eyes narrowed before she dunked him as well. He surfaced, spitting out water and traded a look with Trunks before they both launched themselves at the Jovian, who went down laughing.
*
Trunks opened the sliding glass door that led from the back patio to the living room of Capsule Corps and ran through the room, laughing, his towel tied around his neck like a cape. Makoto followed, a smile on her face. She wore cut-off blue jean shorts over her suit, the waist cut off so that they hung open. Her sunglasses rested over her emerald eyes and she followed the enthusiastic eight-year-old into the house. A large white and yellow striped beach bag was slung over one shoulder, a white towel potruding from it as she followed Trunks into the kitchen.
Bulma stood at the counter cutting vegitables for a salad when her son ran in and jumped into a chair at the table. "Did you have fun?"
"Yeah! The best!" Trunks exclaimed.
Bulma laughed at his enthusiasm and smiled over at Makoto. "I hope he wasn't too much trouble."
"Not at all." Makoto replied with a smile, picking up a tomato wedge and taking a bite out of it. "It was fun, and very educational."
"Oh really?" Bulma said, raising a brow as she picked up her cutting board and pushed the tomatos into the bowl of lettuce and carrots. "Trunks, why don't you go take a bath and get changed for dinner, okay?"
"'Kay."
Bulma turned back to Makoto. "How so?"
"Videl asked me what it felt like to be in love."
"What? So she's finally figured out that she's in love with Gohan, hmm?"
"Yes." Makoto replied, sitting down on one of the barstools lined up along the counter. "She is. She's a bit nervous, but I assured her that Gohan is smitten with her and life will move on."
Bumla smiled. "And what about you? Have you found someone yet?"
"No! I haven't even gone house-hunting yet!" Makoto exclaimed.
"Of course you haven't, you love living on that lookout with two Nameks and a cute, pudgy gardener, that's what." Bulma replied, pointing her knife briefly at Makoto before returning to her chopping. "I don't think you'd survive without them, and they've come to depend on you. I've never seen a Namek eat, but with you about they do. They don't need to, but they do."
"True."
"Anyway, how are the little buggers anyway."
Makoto smiled. "My boys are fine, Bulma."
"Your boys?" Makoto blushed a bit and Bulma laughed.
"They grow on you after a while - like a fungus."
That made Bulma burst out laughing before she turned the topic of conversation a bit. "I'm sure you do. Vegita's like that, only he's more of a parasite... Anyway, would you be interested in a date?"
"Like, a blind date?" Bulma nodded, Makoto groaned. "Bulma!"
"Oh, come on! He's a great guy. He's English and plays football."
Makoto rolled her eyes. "I hope you don't mean american football because there's a difference between American football and British football."
"There is?"
"Football is soccer in Britain, and it's a really brutal game."
"You're kidding?" Bluma laughed, then shrugged. "Oh well, I don't suppose you'd be willing to go."
"I'll think about it."
