-1Chapter Twenty Eight

Hera woke up with the soft light of dawn dancing across her face. She fully expected to find herself in her room at Gohan's house, dressed in the shorts and t-shirt Videl had lent her. She rolled over and realized the bed she was in was far more comfortable than the one she was used to. The covers were down and smelled of fresh cut grass and rain. Her eyes fluttered open and for a moment she was frightened, not knowing where she was. Then she remembered the room from her first visit to the Look Out. The moss room with the French doors that looked out over the silver garden. She tossed back the covers and realized with a start she was wearing a pale blue night gown, deliciously soft. It was long sleeves, came to her ankles and fit her perfectly. Her sweater and jeans were neatly folded on the night stand, her backpack on the floor beside it. She smiled, guessing correctly Dende had someone made the nightgown swap with her clothes. She took her brush from her bag and took her hair down, brushing it out into long, copper waves. Then she padded over to the French doors and opened them.

The sun was streaming over a sea of orange clouds. It was a breathtaking sight. She stepped out onto the balcony and breathed in the purest, cleanest air she'd ever experienced. She was about to turn around and get dressed, when she noticed movement in the garden below her. It was Dende. He wasn't wearing his robes, just a pair of brown pants, apparently the ones he wore underneath his robes. She'd noticed the cuffs of them before. She stood up there, silently watching as he wandered among the flowers, letting his long, green fingers play with the petals as if gently waking them from their slumber. She found herself liking the way he looked, without the robes, without a shirt. He was by no means as muscular as Piccolo was; though she'd only seen his arms she figured he was built like a rock all over. He was actually rather skinny, but she assumed Nameks were just born to be cut in the arms and abs. His back was to her and he stretched, reaching to the sky. He let his arms fall at his sides and he yawned. She started to feel bad about spying on him, reminded herself he'd done the same to her, then shook her head and called out,

"Good morning, your Guardianship."

Dende jumped and turned around. He looked around him, then up at the balcony. He smiled up at her. Her hair was down and was blowing around her, catching the sunlight and dazzling him with various shades of red. The nightgown was perfect, modest and yet, alluring in a strange way. He shook his head, "Good morning to you. How did you sleep?"

"Fine. I don't remember getting up here."

"That's because I carried you. You fell asleep in the garden."

"O." Then she remembered. She'd left the great hall upset about the man her mother had married. She frowned, but one look down at Dende and her smile lit up her face again.

"So, this is how the great Guardian of the Earth looks in the morning."

"Huh?" Dende looked down and became suddenly very self conscious about being caught without a shirt on. He wrapped his arms around his chest.

Hera laughed, "Don't be embarrassed! I thought guys enjoyed walking around without their shirts on."

"Yeah, well, some guys might." He was desperately trying not to blush.

"It's not like I've never seen a guy with his shirt off before."

"Yeah, well, I've never had a girl see me with my shirt off before."

She raised an eyebrow at him, "That is a shame."

"What? Why?"

"Because it's rather nice," and with that she disappeared back into her room.

Dende let his arms drop. Rather nice? Did she just say I looked rather nice without a shirt on? Dende decided to go in and dress for breakfast, a goofy grin plastered across his face as he went.

"What's wrong with you?" Piccolo grumbled. He was seated at the edge of the Look Out, appearing to meditate.

"Nothing's wrong," he smiled.

"Are you drunk?"

"What? No, I'm not drunk!" Dende was defensive. "I'm…happy."

Piccolo grunted and went back to pretending he was meditating.

Hera changed into the outfit she'd brought with her. It was a pair of beige linen pants and a grey short sleeved sweater. It got cold high on the Look Out, but with the sun shining brightly, she didn't want to cover up in the big green one Dende had given her. She fixed herself up with the makeup she'd brought, pulling her hair back into a loose bun at the base of her neck, several strands of hair left out intentionally to frame her face. Then she went barefoot down the tower stairs and into the great hall.

She'd not noticed how beautiful the great hall was last night. They'd done a great job. She couldn't wait to see all the candles lit, to see Videl and Gohan exchange their vows. She remembered Dende was Gohan's best man. The thought of him in a tux was kind of funny. She had never tried to picture him in anything other than his robes. Then again, she told herself as Mr. Popo appeared wearing an apron, she'd never pictured him without his robes either. And this morning, seeing him in just a pair of brown pants, had proved to be delightfully enlightening. She composed herself quickly as Mr. Popo asked,

"Are you ready for some breakfast, Miss Hera?"

"I am, thank you Mr. Popo. And please, just call me Hera."

Mr. Popo's smile widened, "As you wish."

She followed him through a door into a large kitchen. She took a seat at the table (Mr. Popo wouldn't let her help him) and looked up as Dende came in. To her disappointment, he was wearing his robes again. He sat across from her.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Nothing." She shook her head, embarrassed she'd been caught imagining him without his shirt on.

He arched an eye ridge at her but said nothing. He looked at her new outfit and smiled, "You look nice. That sweater really makes your eyes look greyer."

"It's funny, but they're really blue. You just have to get really, really close to tell."

Dende felt his face flush. How close was really, really close he wondered? He fumbled with his napkin. Hera laughed. She'd made him nervous. This was going to be fun, she could just tell.

"So," he began, "what are you wearing to the wedding?"

The wedding. "O crap! I have no idea! Videl told me not to worry about it yet, because they'd originally planned for it to be in three weeks. But now it seems I don't have that long."

Dende looked long and hard at her, so much in fact it started to bother her. "Dende, what are you doing?"

He blinked a few times then smiled, "Don't worry about it."

"About what?"

"About what to wear. Let me take care of it."

"You just happen to keep formal dresses around? Please tell me you don't wear them."

Mr. Popo burst out laughing as he put a plate of eggs and bacon down.

"No I don't wear dresses. And no I don't keep them around. Just trust me, ok?"

"Ok. But tell me this: why do I get the feeling Mr. Popo was laughing for a reason."

"Oh, well, you see, Mr. Dende and Gohan-"

"Don't you DARE tell her that!"
"O please do!"

"Mr. Popo, I swear if you say another word-"

"What, you'll banish him from the Look Out?" Hera grinned. "Come on, Dende, be a sport. I want to hear the story."

Dende put a napkin over his head while Mr. Popo told Hera about the time Gohan and Dende placed bets about this girl liking one of them. Gohan brought her up to the Look Out and she'd freaked out! He had to knock her unconscious to get her back home and told her it must have just been a bad dream. Because of that, Dende lost the bet and had to wear a dress for an entire day.

Hera was laughing so hard she could hardly breathe, "O what I wouldn't give to see that picture."

"You will never see that picture because I burned it!" Dende said underneath his napkin.

"You're no fun."

"Ha-ha."

She reached over and pulled the napkin off his face. He was blushing so furiously she thought his head may pop. "You may want to calm down. I'd hate to have to clean your brains off the table."

"I hate you." He looked at Mr. Popo. "Both of you."

Mr. Popo and Hera just looked at each other and laughed.