Disclaimer: dntioononlalbozgrwda - unscramble (answer at bottom)
(P.S. I also don't own `Unbelievable' by EMF)
***
Hey all! I'm back! This chapter is just a sappy Gohan-taking-care-of-Videl deal.
BEST FRIENDS FOREVER
CHAPTER NINE
Gohan gently shook Videl. "Videl, get up! It's time for school! We're going to be late," he whispered. Videl rolled over.
"Leave me alone," she grumbled. "I don't feel good."
Gohan pressed his hand up against her burning hot forehead. His eyes widened. "Videl, you have a fever. My mom'll let you stay home, don't worry."
"I feel like shit, Gohan," Videl groaned.
Gohan laughed. "Sorry." A pause. "Ya know, I think I'm going to stay home today too."
Videl smiled and sarcastically said, "Your mom's going to let you do that? Uh huh."
"I'll play the sympathy card."
"What?"
Gohan smirked. "Be right back." He exited her room, finding his mom. Chi-Chi was hysteric.
"Son Gohan! You are leaving for school in two minutes! WHAT are you DOING?!"
"Mo-om," Gohan half-whined. "I'm not going. Videl feels lousy and I'm the only one who can take care of her. She has a /fever/ for Dende's sake. You're not going to make her go to school, are you?"
"She doesn't have to, but /you/ do. I can take care of her."
Gohan rolled his eyes. "You'll catch the flu or whatever she has, too. I won't. I'm Siayan. Lemme stay home, please?"
"Goten will-"
"Yeah, right."
"Goku can-"
"Are you listening to what you're even suggesting mom?"
"Are you talking back?"
"No, ma'am."
"That's what I thought." Chi-Chi glared at her son.
Gohan's face brightened. "Look at it this way mom, I'm practicing for when I have kids!"
"By taking care of Videl?"
Gohan scratched the back of his neck. "Well, they could get sick..."
"They?"
"My kids."
"Gohan, are /you/ listening to what you're suggesting?" Gohan blushed deep red. Chi-Chi laughed. "You know what? Go ahead and take care of Videl. She'll probably need two days off so neither of you have to go back to school until Thursday." With that, Chi-Chi walked away.
Gohan was left with a puzzled expression on his face. His mom had /never/ been that easy to persuade before. What was that all about?
Gohan decided not to think about it and hopped into Videl's bedroom. "We get today and tomorrow off! So how do you feel?"
Videl, unamused, placed a hand on her forehead. "Like I was run over by a capsule car a hundred and fifty times. You?"
Gohan laughed. "So, what'd'ya wanna do?"
***
(A/N: We're going to skip only a few hours to 11:15 at night. Like I said, only a few hours... :-P)
***
"It's funny, Gohan, how when you're down even the smallest and most normally insignificant things hurt like a sonofabitch," Videl was saying. "Ug, I am so sick. Okay, for one thing, my head is so full of snot..." she laughed. "Goten would love it."
"Huh?"
"For his snot sculptures."
Gohan laughed.
All of the sudden Videl clutched her mouth. "I think I'm going to throw up."
Gohan jumped up. "Oh, no!" He quickly helped her to her feet and took her to the bathroom where Videl walked over to the toilet.
"Leave!" She protested weakly. "I don't want you to see me throw up!"
"C'mon, when my mom was pregnant with Goten all she did was throw up, it doesn't bother me."
The conversation was cut short as Videl threw up.
Just then, Goten appeared at the doorway. "What's wrong with Videl, brother?" He asked, sleepily.
"Um, heheheheh, hey Goten." Gohan pushed his brother out of the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. "Go back to sleep okay?"
"Is Videl alright?" Goten said, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Of course! She just has the flu. She'll be fine...after she throws up a few times."
"I just heard you say that mom threw up a lot."
Gohan smiled nervously. "That was for... other... reasons Goten."
Goten honestly looked up at his brother with his big black eyes. "Okay, but is Videl pregn-"
Gohan had his hand clamped over Goten's mouth before he could even finish his word.
"NO!" He glared at Goten. "Got to bed! What would mom say if she knew you were up!?"
Goten frowned. "She wouldn't be happy."
"No she wouldn't," Gohan confirmed.
Goten's head dropped and he marched back off to bed.
Gohan entered the bathroom, and made sure to shut the door. Videl smiled at him. "Geez, Mr. Say-It-Like-It-Is out there. He has a very big mouth."
"Yeah, sorry... about... that." Gohan cringed. There was an awkward moment or two of silence. Gohan clapped his hands together. "Hey, let's talk about some stuff to keep your mind off throwing up! What's new in your life, Videl?"
Videl smiled and moved into a more comfortable position, leaning up against the tub. "Well, I have a boyfriend."
Gohan smiled. "Tell me about him," he prompted as he, too, moved to lean against a wall across from Videl.
"He's cute, like his brother..."
Gohan face lit up. "This `cute' young man has a brother?"
"Yup."
"Really?"
Videl looked up, thinking. "Lemme see, he's handsome, sweet," she counted on her fingers as she went. "A hell of a kisser-"
"Hmmmmm? `A hell of a kisser`, eh?" Gohan smirked.
Videl rolled her eyes and ignored him, continuing. "He believes in truth, and honor, true love... he has a smile that won't wash away... "
Videl trailed off when she made eye contact with Gohan, whose face had grown almost serious looking. When he noticed she'd stopped he quickly said : "Continue!"
"...charming! He's sooooo charming... and careful... caring...so absolutely gorgeous that- that- I could just throw up!"
One of Gohan's eyebrows raised in question.
"I'm not speaking metaphorically, I'm seriously going to throw up!" Videl remarked. Gohan helped her back up to the toilet and then looked away, giving her some privacy.
A minute later, Videl was once again leaning against the tub. "I oddly feel better."
Gohan yawned. "Good. I'm going to go get some coffee, want some?" His words came out all vowels with no breaks, just changes in pitch.
"I don't feel quite /that/ good... yet," Videl answered.
Gohan left and came back a minute later with more than just `some coffee.' He also had an assortment of snack foods and chips.
Videl laughed as he began to dig in and then grew silent as she watched. A few seconds later she looked up at him, drawing his eyes. Gohan stopped in mid-action of putting something in his mouth. "What?"
Videl looked down and played with the hem of her shirt, then looked back up, almost ashamed.
"What?" Gohan questioned again.
"Gohan?"
"Yeah?"
"What- What's your, I don't know, your worst nightmare- your worst secret?" She asked quietly.
Gohan put down the food he was bringing to his mouth. He stood up, crumbs falling everywhere but he didn't care.
"Videl..."
Videl curled up against the tub. "I really want to know. I mean it."
Gohan laughed. This surprised Videl and she tilted her head to look at him.
"I'll tell you another time... we still have one more day off, maybe if you're good, I'll tell you tomorrow."
Videl sighed and looked down at her watch. 11:58.
They sat in silence as she watched the tiny instrument tick away. 11:58:30. Gohan sat down again.
11:59. Silence.
11:59:15. Gohan played with a little food, but didn't eat.
11:59:30.
11:59:45. Gohan's form finally began to relax.
12:00 AM.
Videl smiled and he looked up at her. "Ok, you wanna tell me yet? It's tomorrow," she stated.
Before she could move, Gohan dived across the room and grabbed her, playfully shaking her. Videl forgot about her flu and laughed as Gohan pulled her up to him, holding her across his chest.
"Why not?" Gohan asked, out loud.
Videl watched him expectantly.
"I'm... well, I guess I'm afraid, was afraid, no, still am afraid ... nervous, too...to fall in love."
His grip relaxed on her and she stared at him. "What?"
"Everyone near me ends up getting hurt, I don't mean it, really, it just... happens..."
Videl continued to study him, and he continued speaking.
"But with you it's different. I don't know... I could watch you fall asleep, I could watch you sleep, all night, into the morning time."
Videl cracked a smile. "I'm flattered I have that effect on you, Gohan."
Gohan smiled, uneasy. "It's just that..." He stopped, distractedly when he noticed Videl laying across his own body, on top of him, quite intimately. It reminded him of a particular snow fight weeks ago. He blushed as Videl realized the same thing. Slowly, he helped her off himself.
"Just that, Dende knows, the next thing that'll terrorize this world would be like giant, man-eating, radioactive ants and I'd have to stop them and someone would get hurt - or I would get hurt - and-"
Videl sat next to him, and he grew silent as she put her arm around him and played with his hair. He began to relax and soon fell asleep. She laughed as Gohan blushed in his sleep and immediately stopped playing with his hair. Even in his dreams he blushed.
What could the innocent Son Gohan be thinking about in his dreams to make him blush? Videl wondered, curious. Videl smiled, and brushed some stray locks of hair out of his eyes. He's so cute like that. She blushed at her own thoughts and promptly fell asleep next to him.
***
Videl awoke to the sound of pounding bass from Gohan and Goten's room. She quickly looked around and found herself in her bedroom. She rubbed her eyes and got up out of bed listening to the music... it sounded familiar. It was only when she peeked into the brothers' bedroom that she recognized it as `Unbelievable' by EMF.
She laughed.
Goten was running around with a Great Saiyaman toy, making it fly through the air as he jumped around the room, off his bed, of his walls, off his brother...
Gohan was dressed in khaki cargo pants and a wife beater. He was laughing at his brother as he sorted through his closet, looking for a shirt to wear.
Videl ducked back into her room as she heard Goku walk down the hall to his son's bedroom, not wanting to get caught spying. From her bedroom she heard this:
Goten: chanting SING! SING! SING! SING! SING!
Gohan: Hey, dad!
Goten: still chanting SING! SING! SING! SING! SING!
Gohan: Goten, I'm NOT going to sing!
Goku: laughs I just wanted to know what you were all doing today.
Gohan: Beats me.
Goten: He's probably going to do something with Vi-d-el!
Gohan: Goten!
Goten: mocking Gohan Sure Videl! /I'll/ stay home and hang out with you.
Goku: joining in Let's go out for a nice romantic dinner!
Goten: Come, live with me and my family.
Gohan: seriously That's not funny, Goten!
Goku: Next you'll be taking her to dances and asking her to marry you!
Gohan: DAD! Stop it!
Goten: Gohan and Videl sittin' in a tree ... how do you spell `kissing'? Oh well, My brother GOHAN is going to MARRY VIDEL! She's pretty, you /should/ marry her.
Gohan: That's not why people get married Goten... it's because they love each other.
Goten: But you love Videl, don't you?
Gohan: Very much
Goku: The kid's got a point. Any fool can see you love her more than anything.
Gohan: through a smile Yeah...alright, alright, I do love her... but marriage? I'm only eighteen, people. /She's/ only eighteen, people.
Goku: Whatever.
Goten: SING! SING! SING!
A crash.
Goten: That didn't hurt.
Gohan: It wasn't suppose to, but you stopped chanting 'SING!'
Videl realized that maybe she shouldn't be eavesdropping on their conversation. She threw on a pair of jeans and a red tank top and walked out of her room.
Gohan walked out as she was passing by his bedroom and she crashed into him.
"Sorry! You okay?" Gohan said quickly.
"Yeah! I have a knack for crashing into Saiyans, don't I?" She replied.
"What?"
"Nothing, just the other night... me and your dad, you guys are like brick walls!"
Gohan was now dressed wearing his khaki pants with a brown woven belt and a long sleeved, white canvas button down shirt. (It was buttoned up! So you couldn't see any of the wife beater... but Goku will fix that later...)
Goten came running out behind them with Goku.
"BREAKFAST!" Goten shouted.
"BREAKFAST!" Goku repeated.
Gohan followed them, lifting up his baby brother, swirling him around in the air, and plopping him down in a kitchen table chair. Videl laughed. "You're great with kids."
Gohan blushed, but respended, "Well, I once was one."
Goku laughed. "And still is."
Gohan ignored him. "What do you want to eat, bro?" he asked.
Goten thought. "Eggs!"
"Bacon," Goku chimed in.
"Juice!"
"Milk!"
"Steak!"
"Sausages!"
"Oatmeal!"
"Muffins!"
"French Toast!"
"Pancakes!"
"STOP!" Gohan shouted. "Videl, what would you like?"
"Cereal and water! Only!" Chi-Chi exclaimed, stepping into the room. "C'mon, she's getting over the flu!" She turned to Videl. "Videl, dear, why don't you go to the bathroom and freshen up, your hair's not even combed."
"Mom!"
Videl put a hand to her hair. "Um... okay," Videl said, leaving.
Gohan frowned. "What'd you do that for?"
Chi-Chi walked over. "I overheard your little conversation with Goten and Goku this morning..."
"So..."
"I heard the word `marry', did I not?"
Gohan's shoulders dropped and he rolled his eyes. "Don't start..."
"Already did. Now, let's see, shirt tucked in, good. Pants ironed, good. Fingernails clean, good."
Goku and Goten laughed, especially Goku, who stood up. "Chi-Chi, leave him alone. You know what I think? I find you, like many other females from this planet, like one of two things: Men in a tux, or all dressed up in whatever that itchy material is, and men totally 'grunge'."
"Grunge?" Gohan questioned.
"Grunge."
Chi-Chi smiled bashfully. "Well, that /is/ true. But my our boy is going to-"
Goku waved her off. "Okay, Gohan," he said. "See this?" Goku motioned to his over sized surfing short and loose T-Shirt. "Beach fatigues. Irresistible."
"True," Chi-Chi agreed, sighing.
Goku turned his attention back to Gohan. "Do this: Roll up the shirt sleeves loosely. Okay. Like that, good. Um, just untuck the shirt. Let's see. You know, let's just unbutton the shirt. Good. Good. There, you can't tell me that any teenage girl won't be after him now!"
Gohan blushed and looked at his reflection in a pan. "People at school wouldn't recognize me if I dressed like this! It's ... casual looking!"
Goten laughed. "Big brother's trying to impress Videl!" Gohan glared at Goten as Videl entered the room.
"Um, what's..." She noticed Gohan's new clothes style. "...up?"
Everyone looked at her: Goten with a big grin, Chi-Chi with a cheesy smile, Goku with a self-satisfied smirk (that oughtta be good) and Gohan almost uneasily.
Videl didn't notice, though. The only thing she saw was her extremely cute boyfriend looking extremely sexy, not to mention kind of uncomfortable.
Chi-Chi was the first to say something. "You guys should go outside and `hang out'."
Everyone now stared at her in horror, as if the world was about to end and she was some doomsday prophet.
"WHAT?! `HANG OUT?!'" Gohan exclaimed.
"You teenagers are wearing off on me!" As she said this, Chi-Chi took a variety of breakfast foods, capsulated them, and handed them to Gohan. "Here, go outside and get Videl some fresh air!"
"O...K," Gohan said, still stunned.
"AND ENJOY IT CAUSE TOMORROW YOU'RE GOING BACK TO SCHOOL!"
***
Thursday Morning
(Videl telling Erasa about her days off)
"Well, I was sick..."
"Any highlights?"
"Sleeping on the floor with Gohan."
"Where?"
"Bathroom."
"What the HELL were you doing with him on the bathroom floor!?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?"
***
(answer) i do not own dragon ball z. Flashes the thumbs-up and a cheesy grin This worked out perfect, everyone! In honor of my next chapter, chapter ten, I will be writing a a big hu-mung-o event. So stay tuned...